The Coach

What drives us to do what we do? This question plagues each one of us at every turn in our lives. Coach Pat Connelly defined the “Genesis” for his life’s accomplishments through his passion for continued self-discovery, perseverance for the human spirit, and relentless selfless acts.

Officer Pat Connelly.

After graduating from the L.A. Police Academy in 1970, he has transcended his accomplishments by sharing them with the world through his work as a Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant, an accomplished runner, an innovative Coach, and boundless motivator and speaker.

In 1983, Pat Connelly was the first officer assigned in the development of the D.A.R.E. program; the genesis of which was a robbery gone wrong where drugs were the goal. When then-Officer Connelly arrived on the scene, he found a young girl grasping for life. This young girl, mortally wounded from gunfire, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, died in his arms. It was decided that day that his life would be spent helping others follow a path away from drugs, gangs, violence, obesity and toward health, fitness, and success.Sergeant Connelly received the coveted L.A.P.D. Meritorious Medal for his accomplishment. Pat Connelly’s quest to guide others in improving the quality of their life is a race he has run for many years and is one race he believes has no finish line.

Officer Pat Connelly.

As a runner, Pat Connelly has completed 50 marathons. Pat’s extraordinary achievements are a culmination of a highly decorated running career that reaches as far back as an All-City High School Cross Country Honor and a Birmingham High School mile record in 1957. At Pierce College in 1959 he won the Western States Cross Country Championship setting a new school, meet and course record. Success as a member of the National Champion Southern California Striders brought him lifetime best performances running 1:53.8, 4:12.9, 9:11.6, 13:51.4 and 30:06 (all non-metric) His love of running continued during his 30 year career as a Los Angeles Police Officer where he participated in three *Police Olympic trial qualifications that lead to the Police Olympic World Games and set age group records in the 800, 1500, 5,000, 10,000 and marathon. His 1972 time of 2.36:32 in the marathon is still a California Police Olympic record. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Seaman Connelly achieved the Cold War Vet Service Medal. Obtaining the rank of Lieutenant USN-SCC, he was responsible for putting hundreds of men and woman into the U.S. Navy service as well as the U.S. Naval Academy.

Running track.
Running track.

Just as his running career began on a high school track in Los Angeles so did his coaching roots. Pat began honing his coaching techniques in the late 1960’s in a high school coaching career that lead to 16 Los Angeles Cross Country City Championships over 20 years. Pat has never asked for payment coaching in high schools nor at anytime from juvenile runners during his coaching career. In the 90’s, Pat coached the cross country and distance track teams at UCLA and USC. During those years he assisted teams that placed in PAC-10 Championships, ranked in the Top 10 in the NCAA competition. At this time his USC women’s cross country team posted a better record than had been achieved at USC in 25 years. Pat Connelly is a proud member of the USC Coaches Club and associate member in the USC Football Alumni Club. Coach Connelly earned the Nike Arthur Lydiard Award — Voted L.A.’s Best — Coach of The Year — 2005. His L.A.C.S.D. and L.A.P.D Baker to Vegas Relay teams have won numerous team titles.

Pat Connelly’s success as a coach reaches beyond the competitive arena and includes guiding thousands of amateur runners through marathons around the world. Pat is a Consultant Coach for DEVINE, Inc., and works with legendary Olympic and marathon athlete Rod Dixon coaching the L.A. Marathon/L.A. Roadrunners. He has taken over 27,000 runners from “Novice to Natural” during the last 16 years. His motivational skills and training techniques are the foundation of the program’s astounding 99.0% finishing rate with an average of 48% being first-time marathoners. His book on running is titled, “Go the Distance.” Pat married his high school class mate Joan Jeffus 39-years ago and they have two daughters, Kerry, Christina, son in law Chip and grandson Brady Patrick Adams. Their home is in Valencia, California. “LET’S FIRE IT UP AND GO THE DISTANCE .”

*Do not confuse Pat’s Police Olympic Trials and Police Olympic participation with the true Olympic Trials and the world Olympics of which Pat was not a member.