SALINAS >> The passion still burns. The fire in his voice rises when talking about the sport. Yet, Roger Chagnon feels there is a need for another voice in the room.

A nearly three-decade career as a cross-country coach at Salinas High has come to an end after Chagnon unexpectedly stepped down as the school’s boys and girls coach.

Chagnon was the longest tenured cross-country coach in the county — and the second longest tenured coach of any sport, having completed his 27th season last fall.

“The group we had this past year needs someone else,” Chagnon said. “They need a new voice. Whatever I’m telling them, they are not making changes.”

Chagnon, who has served as the Cowboys boys and girls head track and field coach for 32 years, will remain in that capacity.

“I still have a passion for it,” said Chagnon. “It might have to be somewhere else down the road. I’ve had some great parents. Over the years, kids have changed.”

A former world class 800-meter runner, Chagnon has coached the sprinters at Salinas for the past eight years, coaching current Nebraska receiver Nyziah Hunter, who broke the school record in the 100 in 2022.

Having graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Chagnon arrived at Salinas in 1993 to take a math teaching position. Coaching was not on his immediate agenda.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to get the job,” Chagnon said. “I was told I interviewed well. That’s usually the kiss of death. I remember during the interview, I was asked ‘Can I coach a sport?’ I said, ‘What do you want?’”

With a track coach already entrenched at Salinas, Chagnon took the teaching job, while focusing on his running career, still clinging to hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the 800.

“When I got to Salinas, I asked Hartnell track coach Gary Shaw if I could train on his track,” Chagnon said. “He said sure, but he told me he could use an assistant cross-country coach. I said OK.”

Because Chagnon was engulfed in his own career in 1993, having run 1 minute, 48.21 seconds in the 800, his focus was on his own training.

Yet, since arriving in Salinas, he’s been a track and cross-country coach, taking the Salinas track job in 1995 and the cross-country position in 1997.

The only coach in the county that has been in one place longer is current Seaside football coach Al Avila, who will begin his 41st season this coming fall.

Chagnon remains the longest tenured coach in track and field at 32 years at Salinas.

“I never thought about how long I was going to do anything,” Chagnon said. “I was student teaching and coaching at Righetti High when I was at Cal Poly. I did it two days a week because I was still competing. I enjoyed working with kids.’’

Chagnon, who began as a math teacher at Salinas in 1993, is now a physical education teacher. He’s also taught health education.

While he is walking away from cross-country, it doesn’t mean Chagnon won’t miss it. The program he’s built has brought more joy than heartache.

“The thing I like best about cross-country is having kids that bought into the camaraderie and the family nature of what we do,” Chagnon said.

A candidate to replace Chagnon is current assistant coach Max Bell, who ran under Chagnon and has assisted him for eight years. Bell is also an on-campus teacher.

“I think kids gravitate toward Max,” Chagnon said.

What Chagnon would like to stop hearing are excuses being made that kids are different today because of having dealt with a pandemic.

“That is not a viable excuse anymore,” Chagnon said. “We are just allowing it. It is a choice. COVID was five years ago. I get they were younger. But these aren’t COVID kids anymore.”