Coaching Staff 2025 season

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 Hi, I’m Talia Youngblut (formerly Buss). I’m a proud graduate of Waukee High School. I continued my track and field journey at the University of Iowa, where I competed in the 100m, 200m, and 400m events. A fun fact: I had the honor of competing in the Drake Relays for eight consecutive years! I’m passionate about giving back to the community that helped shape me, which is why I love coaching here in Waukee. In addition to coaching, I’m a 4th-grade teacher at Sugar Creek Elementary. My husband and I live in Waukee with our dog, Bo, and we love being part of this wonderful community. This is my third year coaching for the Waukee Track Club. 

 My name is Matt Smalley. My track and field story began in high school at Southeast Polk and continued through college at Grand View University where I competed in hurdles, 400m, pole vault. I was 2010 national qualifier in the decathlon. After graduating I was an assistant coach at Grand View University for 5 years and 1 year at Indian Hills Community College. I have been with Waukee Track Club for 9 seasons and took over head coaching responsibilities in 2021. 

Dave Lathrop has been with the Waukee Track Club for the past 9 years. He has been involved with coaching shot and discus for the past 30 years. He has been the girls head track coach at Harlan High School and Prairie High School in Gowrie, now Southeast Valley High School. He is currently the boys throws coach at Waukee High School and has been coaching there for 24 years. His coaching accolades include at Waukee, one state shot put champion, two state discus champions and one Drake Relays discus champion. He looks forward in producing the next state champion through the Waukee Track Club.

I started my running career late as a senior in high school at Estherville Lincoln Central High School in Northwest Iowa. I also ran cross country in high school as well. I wanted to make myself a better all-around athlete for all the sports that I participated in. I continued my running career at Iowa Western where I specialized in the decathlon.

I am a certified coach in the state of Iowa and was the head track coach for my hometown track team up in Estherville Iowa in 2022.  I joined the Waukee track club last year and coached sprints and long jump. Additionally, I coached our Waukee cross country club this past season.

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 Stephen Arvanis is entering his 13th year coaching track & field and 3rd with the Waukee Track Club. He has also had coaching stints at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale Community High School, and is in his 4th year as head coach of the girls team at Waukee High School. At the high school level, Arvanis has coached 39 all-conference and 23 all-state performances including 7 state champions. 

Graduating from Davenport North High School, Arvanis was an all-state performer in several mid-distance events and also qualified for state in the high jump. In college, he won the 800m MVC title twice with the Salukis. Stephen and his wife, Allison, have 5 children.

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