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Donna on the Side
Pocatello, Idaho February 15-17, 2001
Simplot Games
The Scene - The Competition - Twins at Simplot - Pole Vault - Dueling Clubs: Teekay and United Stars - More top performers - ex-Olympians - Faces in the Stands - Worker Bees
by Donna Dye
The Scene
Simplot's Very Own Remote Controlled Blimp
To track and field fans, February means The Simplot Games, sponsored by the J.R. Simplot Company in Pocatello, Idaho. While the Simplot corporation is the main sponsor, the Games receive well wishes and congratulation from the community that you see on signs, posters and greetings all over town..
Pocatello From the Air
Pocatello-The Host City.
Pocatello is 150 miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah, 4,448 feet above sea level, nestled in the western foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It is usually clear, sunny and dry. In fact less than 15 inches of precipitation falls in a year. Thus, the desert look to the terrain. The name Pocatello comes from an Indian chief of the Shoshone tribe.
Through the years, Pocatello has transitioned from a stop on the 1860's gold rush to an agricultural community to the regional center for shopping, education, medical care, and cultural and social activities that it is today..
The Holt Arena
The Simplot Games are held in Holt Arena, originally designed as an indoor football stadium, on the campus of Idaho State University. The building is recessed 20 feet below grade and rises at center to103 feet. For the Simplot Games a banked track is brought in along with all of the other equipment for high quality track and field event.
J.R. Simplot-The Sponsor
Simplot is an agribusiness company that says it's one of the world's largest frozen-potato processors, turning out 3 billion pounds of French fries and other potato products. It also does agricultural fertilizers and a host of other farm products.
Simplot-The Competition
The Simplot Games provide a high level of competition for the west that is rare during the Indoor season. But it's attraction is not limited to the west. Athletes from all over the U.S. and Canada participate. This year athletes came from 19 U.S. states and two provinces in Canada.
Woven into the middle of the Simplot Games is the Golden Spike Invitational, an elite track and field meet. There were 22 elite athletes at the Simplot Games who participated in the Sydney Olympics-four of whom took home gold medals. During this meet Stacy Dragila the first woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics in Pole Vault, made two world records for a woman first at 15'3 � and then at 15'5.
One last thing--the atmosphere at the Simplot Games is one of the best I've seen. The staff are warm, friendly and helpful. They work together with professional ease and confidence. Congratulations to all of them.
Twins at Simplot
There was a lot of seeing double at the Games this year:
The Gove Sisters:
Keely & Kirsi with the Bulldog Track Club, Salt Lake City, Utah
The Manning Brothers: Eric & Scott from Boulder, CO
The Hershelman Sisters: Kaitlin & Darcey with the Westminster
Track Club, Northglenn, CO
The Lucas-Roberts Brothers: Peter & Conar from Walla Walla,
WA
The Newell Sisters:
Krista & Adrianna with the Fruita Track Club and Grand Junction, CO
The Gunters: Jacob & Jody from Battle Mountain, NV
The Pickler Sisters:
Julia & Diana with the Texas Express from Plano, Texas.
The Radermacher Sisters: Shanna & Megan from Spring, Texas
Dueling Clubs
Two teams dominated the competition this year: Teekay Track Club from Yorba Linda, California and the United Stars Track Clubs from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here are some of the stars.
The United Stars Track Club
United Stars 4x400 Team
Christina Smith, Nicole Leach, Tiffany Abney and Evelyn Dwyer
Christina Smith and Dominique Darden
Nicole Leach and Tiffany Abney
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The Teekay Track Club
Some Members: (From the Top) Devonna Harrison, Jasmine Collins,
Dominique Harper, Dianna Goden, Angel Tate, Glennis Scott and
Victoria Tolliver
Lashinda Demus and Dad, Duaine Demus
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Mercedes Johnson and Angel Tate
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More Dominating Performers:
The Top Three in High Hurdles: (from the left) Latasha Pharr,
Beau Walker, Amber Williams
Alexis Joyce - she won a sprint double at 60 and 200 meters
Amber Williams - hurdle finalist
Beau Walker - winner of star studded 60m hurdles
Latasha Pharr - hurdle finalist - came all the way from North
Carolina
Tiffany Abney, one of her coaches Lavaughn Jones, and Dad, Ken Abney - Tiffany anchored United Stars in two relay victories over Teekay Track Club.
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Megan Radermacher - led the 800 meters until late - another twin.
Seth Pilkington - record setting winner of the 1600 meters. For
next year he is leaning toward BYU, Stanford or Oregon.
Seth & Dad
Paul Pilkington is himself a distinguished runner. A Weber State graduate,
he was a National Champion in college and later won the 1994 Los Angeles
Marathon. Now, Paul doubles at being Seth's coach and father.
Seth & Coaches
(From the left) Randy Wheeler, Seth, Brian Berrong, Doug Yonemura,
Assistant Principal at Roy High School and Paul Pilkington
Chadd Smith. Californian Chadd won the high jump at 6'7.
He will be going to UCLA next year.
Jeffrey Garrison -- California hurdler broke into the
spotlight with a US record in the 50 meter hurdles at the Los Angeles
Invitational earlier. He claimed 6th place here from the second
section of the finals.
Family of Chandler Goodwin, impressive winner of the boys 3200 meters.
Ashley Rickles, a hurdler
Jennifer Kemp was part of the large delegation
from the Leduc Track Club in Canada
Kim Reading from Black Foot, Id takes a lot of teasing for her tiny
stature.
The Pole Vault Scene:
Julene Bailey from Boise, Idaho won the pole vault at 11'6. Julene has been pole vaulting for only 2 seasons, which in Idaho is a very short time. With little place to practice indoors, Julene came to Simplot with only one practice vault. Julene started pole vaulting in 8th grade. Last year at the State Meet she did 11'8.5". At the Regional USATF meet in Butte, Montana she did her personal best of 12-3. And, at the USATF National meet she finished 2nd with 11'5 � and earned a place on the World Youth Championships, in Debrecen, Hungary in July 2001.
Julene and Julene and Dad
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Stevie and Seth Marshalek are pole vaulters who share a common coach-their father. While it's great to have a coach you can be close to, it can be tough turning the coach off and the father on. He doesn't always leave the coach at the track! Dad, Steve Marshalek is a very active man. In addition to coaching his kids, he has a sports equipment business, trains other pole vaulters, runs a car dealership and pole vaults himself participating at the Master level. He was so into his business this weekend that he could not come to the Simplot Games. Instead, Jennifer, wife and mom, came to cheer the kids on.
Seth Marshalek and Coach Rich Creigler
Stevie Marshalek and Sara Rowse
Filling in as coach for the Marshalek's was Rich Creigler, coach at Richland High in Richland, Washington. Rich is a fun guy who did his best. Stevie just returned to vaulting after coming off of back surgery. So she was not in prime form. Her best at the Games was 10'. Brother Seth finished 3rd at 14'6".
Rich Creigler was a busy guy. He was also coaching Sara Rowse from Richland, Washington. Sara jumped her personal best of 10'6". In the stands supporting Sara was her mother and her stepdad, Lori and Tony Phillips.
Lorie and Tony Phillips
The northwest has a tough time with indoor pole vault due to a lack of facilities to practice and compete. Rich and Sara frequently take a 3 hour drive up to join the Marshalek's at their facility in Auburn, Washington outside of Seattle.
Erin Curtis, a Senior from A Cheetahs Storm,
finished 3rd in the Pole Vault.
Olympians at Simplot:
Ken Young (Front) Olympic Gold Medal Winner in 400 Meter Hurdles
and Dick Fosbury Olympic Gold Medal Winner in High Jump and creator
of the Fosbury Flop technique now used by all high jumpers.
Faces in the stands
Canadian brothers Nolan and Ryan Fyfe brightened up the Games and also
ran well in the 800 meters.
Heritage Track Club, San Jose, CA coaches
Anita Bolton and Scott Evans
DyeStat Fan and contributor Jennie Richards, with her sons Kyle and
Brandon. They are from Mountain View Country in Utah.
Jonathan Delbosque, Century High, Pocatello and Emily Hall, Jordon
High, Sandy Utah wait to get Stacy Dragila's autograph on his shoes and
her poster.
Jonathan's Shoes |
Emily's Poster |
Worker bees:
Jason Bohne and his Media Team:
(From the left, back row: Amy Butler, Jason Bohne, Ben Kennedy,
Jared Stokes and Tes Oborn (Seated from the left) Vivian Meyers and Peggy
Johnson
Carol Lish, Executive Director hard at work
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