By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – Bristol Central girls track & field coach Kiara Bonilla-Jusino has been an excellent mentor for the program over the past few years.
And now, the former Central runner turned coach is expanding her coaching duties at the school on the hill.
Bonilla-Jusino is taking over the indoor track program at Bristol Central for the 2021 season.
“I’m proud to announce that I will be the next head coach of the Bristol Central indoor track & field team,” announced Bonilla on Twitter Friday night. “[I’m] looking forward to continuing the legacy left by those before me!”
The mentor has been in charge of the girls outdoor program at Central since 2017, taking over for long time coach Mike Forgione, and she expects the same big things from the indoor group.
“Congrats Coach Bonilla and [indoor track] team,” said Central’s cross country and boys outdoor track coach Tamara Stafford-Kirk via Twitter. “The legacy continues…”.
Bonilla-Jusino has been an excellent coach for the girls outdoor program, posting a 9-2 record in 2018 – her second year as the team’s mentor – and one season later, her outstanding ledger was 9-3.
She has a proven track record with the outdoor squad and expects the same positive results during the indoor campaign.
And it helps that she’s been there and done that for the Rams’ program when Bonilla ran for Central scholastically.
Bonilla was a member of both the indoor and outdoor track teams at Central from 2006-2009.
The 2009 Bristol Central graduate was a standout out middle distance runner for the program just over a decade ago.
Bonilla’s outdoor events included the 800 and 1,600 meter races.
She also took part in the 2k Steeplechase and even the 4×1600 relay event.
Bonilla helped Central win several CCC South Championships – a legacy that continued even after she left Bristol Central – while earning CCC South All Conference honors from 2007-2009.
When it came to her indoor events at Central, Bonilla ran the 1,000 and 1,600 meter races, the one mile event and the 4×800 meter relay.
She also ran cross country at Central and was captain of the squad as a senior.
After Central, Bonilla attended Southern Connecticut State University and was a member of both the women’s cross country and outdoor track teams.
In 2011 and 2012, Bonilla was a Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll Selection.
She has both a B.S. and M.A. in Exercise Science and those qualifications alone prove that Bonilla-Jusino is the perfect choice to coach indoor track & field at Central.
She’s a Physical Education teacher by day but when that final bell rings, Bonilla is ready to hit the track (and field) – getting ready for a practice or a meet at Bristol Central High school.
