West Point has confirmed that former Army track and field and cross country coach Jerry Quiller has passed away. Quiller was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in January 2007 and retired a year later, moving back to Colorado. Quiller had coached at the University of Colorado for 14 years (over two stints) before coming to West Point in 1995.
Marist track coach Pete Colaizzo said his first meeting with Quiller, at the IC4A cross country championships in Boston, was unforgettable.
“He sees Marist, he sees me and says, ‘How you doing, partner? You are our neighbors in the Hudson Valley,’’’ Colaizzo recalled. “Here is this legendary coach and I am some young coach at Marist. He comes up to me and practically bear hugs me. That was Q. He was always like that. I loved him for it.’’
Even with years of coaching in his background, Quiller was open to learning new things and seeking tips from coaches he admired.
“Even though he was an Olympic coach,’’ Colaizzo said, “he would ask me, ‘How is your team doing? How do you train your guys?’ I am like, Are you kidding me? That’s like Ted Williams asking a bat boy for hitting advice.’’
