With a clear view of the Hopkinton Fairgrounds from his front window when he first moved to the town, Zach Emerson had an idea for a perfect use of the area when it wasn’t being utilized.

He was a cross country coach at Concord High and figured the fairgrounds’ 33 acres of space would be a great space to practice. He reached out to ask, and as soon as he got the green light, he drove his lawnmower across the street and got to business. Since 2014, the area has been transformed into a premier cross-country course.

“I’ve created a nonprofit called the Hopkinton Runners Society that oversees the cross-country course. They’re the stewards of the cross country course at the Hopkinton fairgrounds, which has turned into a bigger-than-life venue as far as the sport across the country goes,” he said.

Emerson has remained a leader in the running, track and field and cross-country circles for the past 20 years. He’s led multiple turkey trot races, summer camp programs, and youth mentorship initiatives on top of coaching Franklin Pierce University’s XC and track teams.

Since first mowing the grass at the fairgrounds, the course has become a huge draw for Hopkinton. Last year, the course hosted an NCAA Division II Cross Country Regional Championship, which drew thousands of visitors and the top runners in the world, including Harvard’s Graham Blanks coming off of a ninth-place finish in the 5000-meter race at the Paris Olympics.

“It turned into one of the biggest, most competitive venues on the college circuit throughout the Northeastern shore. I think it’s one of the best courses in the country, and that could have a massive economic impact, if I’m putting it bluntly, if we’re able to pull in some of these kinds of national events,” Emerson said. “It’s super important for me to open up the umbrella to the local area’s Chamber of Commerce, the other businesses in town, get people on board with this nonprofit, so everybody can kind of benefit.”

After 13 seasons as the director of the Franklin Pierce University cross country and track and field programs, he took a job as the head coach of New England College’s new track program.

He previously coached at New England College in 2010-11, but now that NEC has decided to restart the team, he believes he can reinvigorate the program.

“The support from New England College to allow us to do that, for me to kind of pursue these endeavors that are going to make even stronger ties in the community, was one of the driving factors for making the move because I feel like they understand that a little bit better being literally in the backyard of the town,” he explained.

The proximity of NEC to the fairgrounds and his other endeavors in Hopkinton were factors in his decision as he hopes to focus on elevating his community in the coming years, and the interest was mutual on New England College’s part, according to athletic director Dave DeCew.

Under Emerson’s tenure as head coach at Franklin Pierce, the program had 103 NCAA Track & Field National Qualifying Marks and 156 Northeast 10 Conference Champions.

“Zach is just everything you would want a coach to be; he understands the role that he’s going to have here in New England College, as far as trying to build the program and enrollment for the school and be competitive,” DeCew said.

As a coach, Emerson believes that running offers a special home for kids who don’t fall into the team sport demographic – it fosters a positive environment while keeping them healthy.

Besides all the cross-country work, Emerson has started multiple programs that go beyond the confines of a single sport. He implemented a mentorship program called “Birds of a Feather” that partnered college athletes with Hopkinton middle schoolers to foster good habits, confidence, and lifelong athletic learning. This program was a nominee for the NCAA D-II 2024 Award of Excellence.

“Beyond his tangible achievements, one of the most remarkable qualities that sets Zach apart is his deep, genuine connection with the athletes and youth that he mentors. Whether it’s on the track, during youth programs, or at camps, Zach’s athletes speak with great admiration about his ability to inspire them, not just as competitors, but as individuals,” said Julie Zahn, who nominated Emerson to be a Hometown Hero. “He brings out the best in every athlete, meeting them where they are and challenging them to rise to new heights. It’s clear that Zach cares about each one of them—his impact goes far beyond coaching technique.”

Alexander Rapp can be reached at arapp@cmonitor.com