Trevor Foley played competitive soccer for five years before competing in his first 5k in 2011. His success and enjoyment for the sport propelled him to become a full-time runner. He told his parents and they searched for a coach. It was an opportunity that came out of nowhere for Drew Martucci, who has been coaching the class of 2018 standout now for two years.
"I was approached by another fellow teacher at the time at Hernando where I was coaching then and she said to me "I have a good friend of mine who has a son that wants to run competitively and needs a personal trainer." I said, "how old is he?" He is in the 6th grade! I was in shock expecting an older kid in high school or looking to run at the collegiate level. About a week later, I met Trevor and his parents."
The first week, Martucci gave him a couple days of light running. Meanwhile, Foley was still playing soccer, but told him he had success in a local road race to which he impressed some of the elders. 
It was a week later, when he ran a mile time trial in 6:40 as a 6th grader, that coach began to think he had something special on his hands.
"His improvements have been undeniable in these last two years. I have seen him literally shoot up in height. He's closing in on 6ft. and he's becoming more toned by the day. I never have to worry about what it is I have him doing for training. He has become the most dedicated runner of his age I have ever coached. He's in 8th grade now, He does his research, he paces his easy runs and workouts like he's been running for decades.
This summer, Foley, who attends Challenger K-8 in Brooksville averaged 20-25 miles a week with a core workout everyday. He admitted he looks forward to the first meets of the year because he likes to give 110 percent and set the tone for the rest of the season. Luckily, he has done just that. He has placed first in both races he has run in this year, the Red Mule 5k with a winning time of 16:57.63, and at the Holloway Park Jamboree where he placed first in the middle school 3000 meter race with personal best time of 10:12.00. He contacts Martucci after every workout to inform him of his times. His heart, dedication and willigness to want to be on top is something his coach says makes him stick out amongst other runners.
"He is a good runner because of his mentality, his physique, and his hunger to improve as a top notch runner. He does his research and looks for records to break. He's a great athlete and student in the classroom which always comes first. He's motivated to get out and do the extra mile and thats why he will be great."
Foley's goals for the cross country season are to go undefeated and win the middle school cross country meet. He wants to go sub 9:40 at Holloway Park. It's a course he will be familiar with when the time rolls around. He runs there again in two weeks at the Jim Ryun Invitational. On the track, he also wants a middle school state title and to beat Joe Franklin's record of 4:19.27 for the 1500 meters. Franklin, who graduated from Godby in 2008 and went onto run at the University of Tennessee is now an assistant coach with Martucci at Plant City High School. Martucci says a middle school state championship will be a great ending to his middle school career, and the tip of the iceberg for what the future holds.
"Being a middle school state champ is huge in any event; cross country and track, but let's be honest he has a lot of higher goals he wants to achieve when it counts at the high school state level. The kid has raw talent, but works even harder to make up for what talent doesn't show up for."
Personal Bests
800m: 2:12
1500m: 4:29 XC
3k: 10:12 at Jamboree XC
5k: 16:57 at Red Mule 5k
Getting To Know Trevor
When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?:More Coverage
