Natalia Diaz Amabilis, Assistant Coach

Hi! I'm Natalia, and I'm a Sprints track coach with SMHS! I went to SMHS myself, ran all four years under Coach Riley, and graduated in 2017. When I was on the team, I most often ran the 4x100 relay, the 200m, 400m, and the 4x400 relay. Track was such a core part of my high school experience - from the friendships I made, the discipline I developed, and the annual overnighter, that ultimately led me to come back as a coach. 

At UCSB, I often ran on the beautiful beaches of Santa Barbara County, but found a new passion within powerlifting. I became the Vice President of the Santa Barbara Powerlifting team and found a passion in how powerlifting pushed me more mentally and physically than ever before. Lifting helped me find a new type of confidence and appreciation for what my body could do - I want to implement the value of listening and taking care of your body in the high school athletes I get to work with.

During the pandemic, I became a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sciences because I was motivated to learn about the intricacies of fitness to expand my knowledge and teach others how to live a healthier lifestyle, feel empowered, and hopefully find fun in fitness rather than dreading it. I'm excited to work with the students and contribute to an environment of learning, empowerment, and healthy competition! It's always great to see improvement over time and the track community is always a fun one!