Meet Our Coaches
Coach James
In 2023, James Snyder joined PRTC as Head Coach of Philadelphia Runner Track Club after 12-year career as an NCAA Division I Coach. A Downingtown, PA native and collegiate athlete himself, James was valedictorian at George Mason University and earned his M.S. in Exercise Science from Appalachian State in 2012.
After positions with the U.S. Olympic Committee, ZAP Endurance, and Florida State University, James served as Head Coach of the Men’s and Women’s distance teams at Temple University for eight years and led them to successes at the conference, region, and national levels. During this time James was recognized by USATF and selected to attend the NACAC Congress in El Salvador in 2016.
James is a certified USATF Level I and II Coach with concentrations in endurance training and strength conditioning. James has published research in sports science and exercise science journals and is an adjunct faculty member at Temple University.
James has coached several highly accomplished athletes, including sub-4 minute miler Brandon Hudgins and All-America Second Team honoree Blanca Fernandez.
Coach Melissa
This Summer, Melissa joined PRTC as Assistant Coach after seven years in the NCAA as a Head Coach for both the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country at West Chester University, and Virginia Union University. Melissa holds a Ph.D. in Leadership with focus on Health and Human Performance from Concordia University-Chicago, a M.Ed. in Sport Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.S.Ed. from George Mason University, where she was a co-captain of the Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field program. Prior to that, Melissa was a 2004 qualifier for the U.S. Junior Championships and Adidas Outdoor Nationals in the 800m.
Across her tenures at West Chester University and George Mason, Melissa produced an NCAA Champion, five x NCAA All-Americans, 27 individual conference champions, over 70 athletes with All-Conference honors, and athletes that collectively re-wrote 40 school records. Notably, she coached Justin Hunter to a 60m-dash qualification for the U.S. Indoor Championships in 2018.
A resident of Coatesville, PA, Melissa teaches sport management, psychology, and athletic leadership at the graduate level. She is a certified USATF Level 3/IAAF Level 5 – Sprints/Hurdles coach, and a Level II – Sprints/Hurdles/Relays and Youth Specialization, and previously USATF Terry Crawford Distinguished Female Coach and CIAA Men’s XC Coach of the Year recipient.
Thank you to our former coaches for your dedicated service!
