Estrada's Road to NCAA Indoors Comes From Coaching, Confidence

By Matthew Sewell, NAU Media Relations

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Diego Estrada is a unique athlete. Heading into this weekend's NCAA Indoor National Championships, Estrada ranks in the top-10 nationally in both events he'll run, and in three and a half years, he has cemented himself among track's elite distance runners. His road to greatness, however, has been all but easy.

His journey to the top of Northern Arizona University's all-time indoor record books in the mile, 3K, and 5K, as well as his ascent up the national rankings in the same events, have come as a result of years of humble dedication and faith in his own ability perform at a high level.

Estrada competed in cross country and track and field all four years at Alisal High School in Salinas, Calif., but it wasn't until his second year that he felt the itch to become the best in his sport.

"Diego came up to me as a sophomore in high school and said, 'Coach, I don't want to be mediocre anymore. I want to be elite,'" recalled Ignacio Flores, Estrada's high school mentor and coach. "The moment Diego came out to run his freshman year, I could tell I had a special kid, but after he told me that, I knew he had what it took to become the mentally tough, smart, and fearless competitor he is today."

Estrada continued to improve throughout his junior and senior years, but his best times still weren't good enough at face value for the highest levels of Division-I. Among those was NAU, whose program at that point was coming off a top-five finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

"Nobody outside of Coach Flores would have ever guessed that Diego could get to where he is now," said NAU Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Eric Heins. "We had reservations when we recruited him. At the very least we could see that he had great form and had a lot of potential, so we took a chance."

With that chance came a bond that has yet to be sullied or broken. Heins trusted Flores when he said Estrada was something special, so all that was left was to convince the star to leave home and gamble on NAU.

Estrada was skeptical about traveling nearly 700 miles away from home just to compete. However, he was hooked after a recruiting trip in the late winter of 2008 exposed him to the beauty of Flagstaff and the benefits of training at altitude.

"I was set on staying local and go to a state college, but Coach pushed me to at least consider going here," said Estrada. "I thought it was a desert, but after my recruiting visit—I went for a run in a snowstorm, my face was burning from the cold—I fell in love with NAU."

Flores' hunch was spot on, and Heins' chance paid more dividends than even Flores expected.

Arriving to compete with the Lumberjacks on a partial scholarship initially, Estrada made an impact almost immediately, earning trips to the NCAA Championships in cross country and outdoor track and field, and winning his first career Big Sky indoor title in the 3,000 meters.

Estrada was well on his way to achieving what he and Coach Flores had talked about three years prior. He had created a strong presence on the team in just his first year competing in the collegiate ranks.

After an injury-shortened sophomore year, in which he still earned all-conference twice during the outdoor season, Estrada came back as a junior and made just as big an impact as he did in 2008-09, earning the first three All-American awards of his career.

After a monumental 2012 indoor season, it's become more obvious that the value of having both coaches at his disposal has been almost incalculable for Estrada.

"We have a really great mutual triangle of respect," said Estrada. "Because Coach Flores has known me since the beginning, and Coach Heins has more resources at his disposal for me to use in training, they can work together to figure out ways to help me get better and stay healthy."

Though Flores is nearly four years removed from being Estrada's coach, the three men have maintained a unique bond with each other through Estrada's stint at NAU.

"Coach Heins and I have made a point to keep in touch and work together in making Diego what he is today," said Flores. "[Heins] has done a tremendous job with him in bringing him along at NAU. I give him all the credit in the world for the work he's done with Diego."

With Flores in the stands and Heins on the track this weekend in Idaho, Estrada will be as equipped as he always has been in facing the nation's toughest competition on the biggest stage.

Courtesy NAU
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Keith Conning: Diego Estrada (Alisal HS, Salinas 2008; Northern Arizona 2012)