It is arguably the most effective formula of all in the three-decade athletic success of Clovis Unified — recycling alumni through the district as coaches.

There are at least 30 former district athletes who have returned as coaches in various capacities for the five-high school district that now wins about 75% of all Central Section title opportunities.

The latest: Clovis North's Jason Lienau, The Bee's Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year, whose Broncos captured the section Division III championship without seniors.

"I knew from the beginning there was something special about him," said Carlo Prandini, associate superintendent for the Clovis North area and a coach of Lienau when he was a section-champion miler at Clovis in the mid-'80s.

"Besides being a great competitor, he was always one of our hardest workers and a great leader on the team. I was just happy when he went into education because he's great with kids."

That wasn't planned, not originally.

Lienau earned a degree in construction management, with architectural emphasis, from Fresno State, where he was a two-time Big West Conference cross country champion.

As a draftsman for the Fresno architectural firm of Darden and Associates, he was pursuing an architect license when he and his wife, Connie, began talking about raising a family.

"She wanted to stay home, and I wanted that," Lienau said. "And, unless you're a partner in architecture, you're not going to make enough to do that. So I made the career change and got my teaching credential."

He began teaching and coaching at Garfield Elementary before then-Alta Sierra Intermediate Principal Prandini hired him in 2000.

Both are Buchanan High feeders, and Lienau has long been credited for helping construct the Bears' long-distance running dynasty as it stands today.

Lienau took over Clovis North's program in its inception with seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders in 2007.

With only freshmen and sophomores, the Broncos placed second to Ridgeview for the section D-III title in 2008.

Then they took it all, and with ease, with a 27-point conquest of Ridgeview this season as junior Jennifer Nakamura and sophomores Sharessa Archie and Sarah Ahgazeynali placed 4-5-6 at Woodward Park.

Further, Clovis North's five-runner team total of 98 minutes, 21 seconds was third overall among all divisions to D-I powers Buchanan (93:08) and Clovis (95:27).

It's uncertain what division the Broncos will compete in next year when they join the Tri-River Athletic Conference with their first senior class.

Not that it matters: Clovis North has arrived behind one of the district's own.

"The kids have bought into the commitment level it takes," Lienau says, "and we're definitely excited about next year's possibilities and potential. Buchanan's going to be tough to beat, but we'll compete with anybody — regardless of division."