From Little Hawk athlete to volunteer coach to assistant coach, Monica Mims ‘03 is back at City once again. She is now an assistant coach for the girls cross-country team, a team she used to run on.

 “I love [running],” Mims said. “It’s a great challenge for each individual to find their own personal best and use others as a way to push themselves to their best.”

Mims started running during the Hershey track meets in elementary school, and then continued through high school and college at the University of Iowa. During her time at City High, she often raced Lynn Ahlers, who is now head coach of the Girls XC Team.

“We’d have the most respect [for each other] because it was such a fierce rivalry,” Ahlers said. “When we’d get done, we’d hug.”

While she went to law school, Mims helped out as a volunteer cross-country coach under Tom Mittman. However, when she received the position as athletic director for compliance at the University of Richmond, she moved to Virginia.

“To me, she is professional, uplifting, and tenacious. She holds herself and others to high expectations in awesome ways,” Ahlers said.

When Ahlers learned that Mims was moving back to Iowa City, she offered her a position as assistant coach, which Mims readily accepted.

“All of the young women here are fantastic,” Mims said. “I’m just really excited to be able to give back and watch people grow.”