by A. J. Holzherr
THE BEST OF THE BEST!
This has been some year! First, the USGA announced the US Open would be played at Pinehurst, no big deal. Then they announced the date, the third weekend in June, big deal, very big deal. Since its inception in 1991 this meet has always been held on the third weekend in June. But you don't mess with golf in North Carolina. Every hotel room within a 150 mile radius has been sold out to the nation's
golfnuts. Thus, no rooms for the nation's finest high school tracksters. Therefore, we've been forced to move our meet to the second weekend in June, in direct conflict with many high school graduations. However, the recruiting team of Joy Kamani and AJ Holzherr has still managed to come up with some of the finest fields ever assembled. While there is no official "National High School T&F Championship, it's generally recognized that the Foot Locker Outdoor Championships, conducted and administered by the National Scholastic Sports Foundation, assumes that role.
High school track is tremendously popular throughout the nation. The United States has always produced the finest track and field athletes in the world. Thus, a natural partnership is being exploited for the first time. The USATF will conduct one of its "Golden Spike" meets, the Pontiac Grand Prix Invitational, in conjunction with the Foot Locker Nationals. Raleigh fans will see not only most of the greatest high school athletes but some of the world's finest athletes in action. CBS will televise the event tomorrow in prime time. Included in the telecast will the high school 100's as well as the two hurdle races, each event will showcase the finest talent within the United States. So sit back and enjoy the meet, I promise it will be one you will never forget.
THE MEN
THE 100m: Casey Combest is a slight youngster hailing from Owensboro Kentucky. He's also the fastest (6.57) 60m sprinter in history. He plans on maintaining that supremacy here. He'll get plenty of competition from a field that includes at least EIGHT (8) state champions. Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Mississippi, California and Michigan will send their best to challenge this young thoroughbred from the Blue Grass State.
THE 200m: Dwight Thomas totally dominated this event indoors and his 20.79 is the fastest outdoor time of the year. But the Jamaican-born youngster will also face a more-than-formidable field. Out of Fayetteville comes a worthy challenger, Thomas Lewis. Only a
soph, Lewis has posted one of the nation's leading 400m times (47.29) but prefers to concentrate on the 200m in Raleigh. Another worthy contender, Jerrod
Braziel, Texas champ, has scooted a brisk 21.28 and is ready to go faster. Sanjay
Ayre, the nation's #2 400m runner, has entered to give his best friend Thomas some competition. Ayre says, "I think I can push him to about a 20.40." It could go that fast and Lewis take the gold.
THE 400m: This promises to be another in a series of great one-lap events held at the Foot Locker Nationals. In 1997 the fastest Junior (19 and under) 400m race in the WORLD was run on the Paul Derr track. This year's competition could have the same result. Shomari McKenzie, FL 46.68, Blaine
Bussey, CA 46.44, Sanjay Ayre, NY 45.2r (the fastest HS 400m relay leg ever run at the Penn Relays), James Graham, 46.84, Gerald Green, LA 46.96 and five other awesomely talented youngsters will vie for the right to wear the ring awarded to the champion.
THE 800m: This one is up for grabs. Texan Adam Davis (1:50.81) heads the list but in this type competition nothing is a given. James DeBruhl has a 1:51 to his credit, Rob Meyers has put a 1:50.9 relay leg in the books, Antonio Gray out of DC is at 1:52.0 and several others could surprise.
THE MILE: Perhaps the finest high school mile field ever assembled. Tommy Bonn's 4:08.1 leads the country with NY'er Dylan Welsh a stride back at 4:09.5. Dan
Tebbano, 4:10.1, Jason Hartmann, 4;10.7 and Brendon Mahoney, 4:11.37 round out the top five contenders. Not surprisingly they are also the top five ranked milers in the nation. But a new star has emerged, Ricky Brook-
shire, local. Brookshire just turned in a brilliant 4:11.67 and moves into a heat with the 'big
dawgs.' Mason Ward's 4:11.88 holds down the #8 slot. Holzherr comments, "These are the best and the best want to go up against their peers. That's why they're in Raleigh." But there's an intriguing note here, Mahoney is the fastest 800m runner in the country, 1:50.17 while Indiana's Brett Tipton is an awesome talent in both the 800 and the mile. Both passed the 800m to run this race. Their goal? To break the meet record, 4:02.01 set by Sharif Karie in '97.
THE TWO MILE: Look for sophomore Dathan Ritzenhein to lead the way to a sub-9:00 performance although NIC winner Jason Mueller and local Nick Mangum have the stuff to win. Another interesting entrant, Montana's Brett
Winegar. This could turn out to be one of the best races of the meet. The field is deep and it's good.
THE HURDLES: The bible of the sport, Track and Field News, usually puts one of the world's best athletes on their cover. The April '99 issue featured a young man you'll see performing here, Jermaine Cooper, Giddings, Texas has the fastest time in the US, 13.40 but he'll be a lot faster here, you can count on it. But he may run faster and NOT win! Rickie Harris set two national sophomore records here last year and would like to see HIS face adorn T&FN's front page. He's got the talent to do it. So does Ricardo Moody, who lost to Cooper by a mere .01 in last year's JO competition. But NJ's Danye Brown clocked a super 13.43 earlier this year and Ryan Wilson's 13.77 will put him in contention. Fresh off his California State win, Marcell
Allmond, 13.54, has to be one of the favorites. He's not entered as of this writing but Holzherr's working on it.
THE STEEPLECHASE: This event isn't contested very often so it's a tough one to call. Last year's 4th and 5th placers return and will challenge for the gold. Tim Kelly and Dave Stott should lead the pack.
THE SHORT RELAYS: Dunbar HS out of Fort Worth took the Texas State title in the 4x100mR and should have little trouble here. The 4x200mR will be far more competitive as Dunbar will get all they want from Northwestern, Maryland and West Monroe, Louisiana. If
Istrouma, also Louisiana, makes it in, this will be one fast race. 4x400mR will see the aforementioned Northwestern looking to break Hawthorne, CA's 3:07.40 National Record! They have the talent to do it. In the Sprint Medley, 200-200-400-800, defending champion Des Moines IA comes back but will be seriously challenged by Houston's Westbury HS. Shelton Ervin anchors at 1:52.02!
THE LONG RELAYS: It's been eighteen (18) years since a high school team dipped under the 7:40 mark for the 4x800mR. Tonight, 4 teams have a shot! Penn Relays champions TC Williams, VA;
Shenendehowa, NY; Lockhart, TX; and Ft Wayne Northrup, all EXPECT to win this race and the winner will have to run well under 7:40. The result? A mass, fast finish that will bring you to your feet. I promise.
The Distance Medley is another highly competitive race. Look for Rockford, MI to become only the 6th team in history to dip under the 10:00 mark. Anchored by one of the nation's top distance runners, Jason Hartman (4:10.7 - 9:01.6), who is skipping the individual events to concentrate on the task at hand, Rockford will be tough. Lockhart, Northrup and Shenendehowa will go stride for stride for the full 2.5 miles of this race with the winner not being decided until the final 50m.
THE FIELD EVENTS:
New Jersey sends two of the nation's best, 7-2 hj'er Robert Jordan (#1-US) and 202' discus thrower Terrance Glover to vie for top honors. But Jordan will get all he wants from defending champion Lamar Johnson (7-3.5-'98), Nathan Fields (7-3-'98) and James Carr, over at 7-2-'98. In all, seven kids who've cleared 7' will vie for 'top' (pun intended) honors. Vault action presents two of the nations finest, either of whom could challenge the hsr of 18-2.5 set earlier this year. Josh Dial comes sweeping in from Oklahoma with a best of 17-6 (#2-US) with perhaps the nation's best allaround athlete, Rocky Danners close behind at 17-0. Kevin Opalka could sneak in if he gets hot. He's cleared 16-6. The Long and Triple Jumps have yet to see a dominant force in '99. Maurice Robinson has a windy 52-4 mark and could go farther on the speedy NCS surface. One of the country's top
fb'ers, Arpedge Rolle is expected to lead the way in the shot. Rolle has a PB of 64-4 (#3-US) and needs only a slight improvement to take over the
USL. Three others may make it to Raleigh to challenge, Conrad Woolsey, 64-0, Ken
Kemeny, 63-7 and Roy Williams, 63-5 could spoil Rolle's ring-sizing. The sleeper, junior Steve Kriewald out of North Loup-Scotia, Nebraska. He's gone 61-7.5 but has the potential to threaten. Ohio sends Corey
Echelberry, 202-4 to challenge for discus honors. But don't count out Nick
Welihozkiy. This youngster, perhaps the best all-around weightman in the US, is a super competitor and knows how to win. Pennsylvanians have a chance at an unprecedented sweep in the javelin. Heading the list, PJ Alouise at 211-5 with Eric Dane, 207-3 and Luke Songer an inch back. But Connecticut's Brian Chaput and New Yorker Mike Mucci bear arms that could enable them to elbow into the winning ranks.
He's the national record holder, 249-6 but more than that, Jacob Freeman totally dominates in the Hammer. Consider, his 249-6 is 18 feet farther than the old mark; he currently has the top seven throws ever; he's won every meet he's entered easily and can throw the 16' implement better than any hs'er before him. Get up and walk over to the hammer cage to see Freeman throw, you won't regret it.
??
OUR BEST GIRLS MEET
EVER? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!
Big words but some great athletes. Long Beach Wilson is sending its team. Enough said. This school, coached by Terry Kennedy, can lay claim to the title "THE GREATEST EVER!" By actual count, these kids have set over 30 national high school records over the past five years. There's never been another team like them and there won't be another...until next year. The quartet of JONI SMITH, LATRICE BORDERS, LASHINDA DEMUS and KIM GILDERSLEEVE fly into the Tarheel state in more ways than one. They expect to set a National record in the SMR Friday night, win two individual events Saturday and possibly break the 4x400mR mark to end their evening. Demus currently ranks #3-US over 400m, 53.06 while Gildersleeve's 2:08+ on a relay puts her right up there with the best. There's a chance they may run the 4x100mR just for fun. But will they romp, uncontested to easy victories? No way! Another Californian team, San Lorenzo, relative newcomers to the National scene will challenge their southern counterparts in the 4x100mR and the
SMR. Coach Darryl Hampton's squad brings pretty impressive credentials to the table. They currently lead the US in the short relay, 45.53 and feel they have the stuff to challenge in the Friday night event.
But there's a lot more here tonight than those two teams. let's look at it event by event:
THE 100m: In the inaugural National Scholastic Championships back in '91, a youngster by the name of Marion Jones won our 100m Dash. Today she's recognized as the "World's Greatest Female Athlete." Well, there's a kid running here tonight who's almost as fast as Marion at a comparable age. Someday Florida's Erica Whipple may lay claim to the same title. She leads the nation in both sprints at 11.39/23.46 and she's only a sophomore! With the two biggest hs meets in the country coming up, the Foot Locker Nationals and the USATF National Juniors, she could very well surpass her illustrious predecessor. A very fine field will challenge lead by LBW's Latrice Borders, Khalilah Carpenter, OH and Michigan champ Takoya Thomas.
THE 200m: Whipple may skip this due to a slight injury. If so, the race is wide open and the contenders many. Texan Monique Hall heads that list with Carpenter and Borders right behind.
THE 400m: Long Beach will send Lashinda Demus (53.06) to the line and she'll have to run faster than that to win. Virginia's Faith Rein is in super shape and ready to crack the 53.0 barrier. Should newcomer Alyssa Aiken, a 53.45 upset winner over Rein at the VA State meet enter, this will be a great race.
THE 800m: This is, perhaps. the best field in the meet. Nebraska's Alice Schmidt leads the US at 2:08.6 with New Jersey's Katrina
Sye, 2:09.2 close behind. Another of Long Beach's superstars, Kim Gildersleeve just raced a 2:08+ relay leg and Coach Kennedy says, "She can go close to 2:05." From anyone else it might not be creditable, from Kennedy, bet the barn. New Hampshire's Jill Laurendeau has a 2:09.15 while three others are less than a second back. When they do the ring-fitting, Cinderella could be sitting in the fitting chair. Those four would make a great field but there's even more. Lauren Hogan, 2:11+, Kim Jordan, 2:10.38, Kristina Bratton, 2:10.23, Kelli
Otstott, 2:11+ and Sharon O'Connor, 2:10.44 could all pull off the upset. This is definitely one of the best fields ever.
THE MILE: Another super group gathered together by Talent Coordinator Joy
Kamani. The field will feature the nation's #2 vs #4 milers. Massachusett's sends Sheila Agrawal to the line with Virginia's Sharon O'Connor a solitary second back. Penn Relays champion Sheila Klick is no slouch and she knows how to win the big one. She's clocked 4:53+ on a relay and is a proven winner. Out of the Mississippi comes the Delta Queen, Erin Sims. Sims has a great finish and if she can hang in through the middle part of the race, she could head off to the U of Texas wearing the Foot Locker championship ring.
THE TWO MILE: Gorton will attempt a double here and she looks tough. A member of the US team that competed in the World Junior XC champs in Ireland, she's a veteran even though she's only a junior. Her principal challengers, two-time Foot Locker cross country champion, Erin Sullivan (the defending champion) and the Penn Relays 3000m winner, Jen Donovan. Steve
Borbet, Donovan's coach and a pretty fair miler in his day, says, "I've never seen a tougher kid than her." Maybe so, but Shalane Flanagan is just finding out how good she really is and she'd love to go home with the title, Foot locker National Champion. Sheila Agrawal has impressive credentials and may try to double. The sleeper, Darcey Dugan out of Alaska. Dugan has only run 10:51 but the track season up there is about 47 minutes long and she's never been challenged.
THE HURDLES: Dalanda Jackson, OH and Jernita McClorin, FL top the US list at 13.65 but there are quite a few close to them and they'd better not clip a barrier. McClorin's teammate Antoinette Wilks is more noted for her jumping but she's a quality hurdler as well. Local Kim Jones will definitely make trouble, She's clocked 13.96 and will be in the FinishLynx picture. In the long hurdles Virginia's Sheena Johnson should reign supreme. Winner of the Penn Relays, Johnson is a splendid hurdler as well as a fine 400m runner. But don't count out Jamillah Wade. She's getting better every day and a win by her wouldn't be too much of a surprise. DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS! Kamani has recruited three of the best 300mH runners in the nation and they all call Texas home, Ranysha Le Blanc held the national lead, 41.20 until yesterday when Leshinda Demus clocked a brilliant 40.44. LeBlanc needed it all to win the Texas meet as Tureal
Lurry, the USL earlier (42.13) and Raaisin McIntosh provided tough competition. Dalanda Jackson also laid down the gauntlet at her state meet, winning this event in 41.11, #2-US. Thus, the field includes 5 of the top six IH'ers in the country. The sleeper, New York's Shavon Stoddard.
THE RELAYS: There are some truly awesome fields here and don't be surprised if a couple National records go by the wayside. We've already mentioned Long Beach Wilson's intended assault upon the SMR mark but it may not be as easy as we make it sound. Simon
Gratz, PA and defending champ Collinwood, OH could easily surprise the West Coasters. Collinwood lead the nation in '98 and they're better now. They upset premeet favorite Gratz last year and the Philadelphians are looking for revenge. In 4x100mR and 4x200mR action look out for Houston Westbury. They are the Texas state winners and have no intention of losing to a California team, no matter who it is. They lead the nation in both relays in '98, liked the view from on top and intend staying there. It won't be easy. San Lorenzo heads the US and wants to become a national power. They could do it here. Sleepers? Palm Beach Lakes along with Chicago's Morgan Park, both in the 1:40 range and capable of better. One more thing, the 4x100mR produces some stupendous anchor legs. If she's healthy, Erica Whipple will handle that chore for her Suncoast FL team and she'll bring the crowd to its feet, I guarantee it.
In the 4x400mR there just isn't anyone to challenge LBW. Gratz, PBL, Westbury are solid teams, so is Willingboro NJ, but LBW is in a class by themselves. As you watch them run, remember, you're seeing the finest team ever in action.
The 4x800mR will feature the squad from Manchester Central anchored by Jill
Laurendeau. They'll be tough but Thomas Jefferson, VA (where else?) and Mesquite TX will offer more than a minimal challenge. Sleeper?
Northrup, IN. The DMR is another very fine field featuring perennial champions, Saratoga. TJ will come back to take them on and perhaps Middletown South. These three ranked 1-2-3 during the indoor season and they'll fight it out for the four rings here.
THE VERTICAL JUMPS: Christina Estrict heads this field at 6'. Close behind, Stephanie
Linz, Jessica Johnson and Desiree Jones all over at 5-10. A bevy of 5-9'ers lurk nearby, anyone of whom could surprise. The PV is a great event! A few years ago when it was introduced many "knowledgeable" folks scoffed and said there was no way girls could handle the physical demands of the event. Those are the same people who've convinced the nation's coaches American kids can't handle the 400mH race and they should be protected and only race over 300m. What baloney! (Sorry, I've wanted to get that off my chest for a long time.) Where were we? The vault. Samantha Shepard has held both the National indoor and outdoor marks and is predictably the greatest ever. She's cleared 12-7.5 and she's only a frosh! A pv'ers greatest fear is to "No Height," that is to enter the competition and not clear the bar at all. That happened to California's Bridgette Pearson. She wants to make up for it here. These two will duke it out with no serious challengers on the horizon.
THE HORIZONTAL JUMPS: This is a stupendous year for the long and triple jumps and most those doing the stupending are here. Not entered as of this writing but supposedly coming, Tameisha King, 20-6.5 and Antoinette
Wilks, 20-4 head the list but nothings guaranteed here. Greensboro's Kim Jones has the potential to top 20' and could pull off a surprise. Lynn Harris and Christina Estrict both have the talent to claim the ring. In triple jump action the field is absolutely terrific! USL Jodie Schlesinger will have to fight off indoor champion Sheena Johnson. Antoinette Wilks has been over 41'; Yolanda Thompson is another with the right stuff to be a Foot Locker champion. But from the cornfields of Nebraska comes a sleeper, Jamie
Volkmer. This Notre Dame-bound lass has the potential to become the next JJK. She's flat out good! Her best, 41-6 puts her right in there with the rest of this great field. Who puts on the ring? Your guess is almost as good as mine.
THE THROWS: The greatest Shot Put field ever! Honest. Two kids over 50' with another at 49-11.5. Ibe Benibo and USL Stacy Martin (50-6.5) have tossed the shot past the 50' line and Rebekah Green is a mere .5" back and coming strong. With talent like this it's not inconceivable that a serious attack could be launched upon the
hsr, 53-7.75. Improbable, yes; impossible, a resounding NO!
The Discus sees Martin (167-1, #2-US) trying to turn back Karen Freburg, more noted for her javelin throwing and the aforementioned Green. These three are your top contenders with 4-5 others not far back. Javelin action will feature Freburg with two NJ'ers battling it out, Lynless Phillips and Jen Austin. All three are in the 150's and who knows who'll have a good day?
In the Hammer, the void left by the departure of Maureen Griffin is being filled by RI's Kate Johnston. Several others from the tiny state have the ability to challenge.
"I never exaggerate," states Mike Byrnes, Co-Meet Director of the Foot Locker
Nationals. That statement is usually followed by howls of laughter by any
tracknut within earshot. But when Byrnes talks about this years 4x800mR
field at the Foot Locker meet, he just may be walking the walk rather than
merely talking the talk. "AJ Holzherr has done his usual super job in lining
up the fields but he's outdone himself here," opined Byrnes.
Based upon
projections and the results of prior Foot Locker Nationals, there are at
least five teams capable of challenging the 7:40 mark.
Here they are:
(Projections based upon adding the best times already run by each of the 4
kids.)
Fort Wayne Northrup, Indiana - they ran 7:41 in Raleigh last year and have three of
the four legs back. They'll be anchored by Brett Tipton who's already posted
1:52 - 4:12 times this year. Projection: 7:36
Lockhart, Texas - at Penn this quartet posted a solid 7:50. That's not so
hot. But, they ran w/o their ace, Tommy Bonn. Bonn, arguably the best
distance runner in America right now (1:51-4:08-9:06), brings a 1:50 split to
the table replacing a 2:00 leg. Projection: 7:39
St. Peters, New York - raced a 7:43 in Philadelphia and are poised to go much
faster. Two terrific runners, Ali Abiola (1:51) and Rolando Ortiz (1:53.)
The other two kids are both sub 2:00 and, if past experience holds true, will
be caught up in the competition and run PB's. Projection: 7:38
Shenendahowa, New York - they come into Raleigh looking for a HSR in the DMR
and if they get it, and they're more than capable, will be on a high that
could carry them to a win here. They also have two great kids, Dan Tebbano
(4:10.1) and Rob Cloutier (3:02-4:15) with a solid supporting cast.
Projection: 7:40
T.C. Williams, Virginia - they are a true Emanon team (that's "No name" spelled
backwards) but four kids without a weakness. They'll be in the thick of
things throughout but will need a great anchor to put on the rings.
Projection: 7:41
This race annually brings out the best in this event. In 1998 Boys and
Girls, Brooklyn edged Northrup 7:41.34 - 7:41.71 with Stillwater, OK at
7:41.94, Dublin, OH, 7:42.46. Six teams broke 7:50.
Amazingly, five could
go under 7:40 in '99. The Foot Locker Nationals is generally recognized as
the unofficial national high school championship competition and the quality
of the fields, emphasized here, is an indication as to why that recognition
is accorded.
Mike Byrnes dreams of
Raleigh mile . . . sub 4 minutes?
"I don't want to sound too optimistic," commented Mike Byrnes, Co-Meet
Director of the Foot Locker Nationals, "but the mile field currently being
put together by AJ (Holzherr) could be the equal of the '97 group."
That
group, despite two falls and two recalls, saw Sharif Karie post the fastest
high school mile, 4:02.01, since 1967. Present Stanford standout Gabe
Jennings turned in a 4:02.81 for the silver.
Who could possibly challenge
that group? Here's the present field. You decide for yourself: USL and Penn
Relays 1500m winner Texan Tommy Bonn, 4:08.1; Nike Indoor winner Georgia's
Brendon Mahoney, currently USL over 800m, 1:50.17; Millrose Mile champion
and indoor USL, New Yorker Dylan Welsh, 4:09.4; Brett Tipton, Indiana, indoor
800m USL, 1:51.77 and Arcadia winner, 1:52.06; out of Nebraska, Brian Turner,
'98 Foot Locker runner-up at 4:09.29, the second fastest soph time ever; New
Jersey's Jon Fasulo, who just took the Hartford Classic with a 4:13.07 (full
mile); Ohioan Mason Ward, winner of the Raleigh Classic back in early April
with a 4:12.3 (1600m); and Missouri's Stewart Kimball, who recently posted a
1:52.6 - 4:13.3 double. Holzherr, an enthusiast if ever there was one,
stated, "We intend running ten in the first section so we have two spots
open. But, "he added, "there may be some surprises out there and you can
rest assured we'll find them and they'll be in Raleigh."
Byrnes, whose dream
of a sub-4:00 hs'er almost came true in '97, mused, "We know we've got kids
who'll take it out and some super finishers. All we need is someone with the
will to challenge the field over the final 800m. If we have someone like
that in this field."
He stopped and that faraway look known only to dreamers
crossed his face.
Golden Spike Meet will be held at Raleigh on FootLocker
finals day
It was announced 5/11 that a televised Golden Spike tour meet
will be held at Raleigh Saturday June 12 in conjunction with the
finals of the FootLocker
National Outdoor Championships. The Olympic level
competition will run from 4 pm to 5:30 pm, followed by the
FootLocker finals at North Carolina State University's facility.
The FootLocker boys and girls 100 meter finals are tentatively
scheduled to be included in the televised program to be seen on
Sunday June 13.
Also announced was a new partnership of General Motors and
USA Track and Field, which will be launched by naming the
Raleigh meet the Pontiac Grand Prix Invitational.
The
USATF press release follows:
INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 11, 1999 — General Motors and USA Track & Field
today announced a partnership designed to help American track athletes
remain
the best in the world. As part of GM’s unprecedented 10-year commitment to
the U.S. Olympic Team, two of GM’s gold medal brands, Pontiac Grand Prix and
GMC Envoy, will be linked to USA Track & Field’s Golden Spike Tour, a series
of elite invitational and championship events featuring America’s and the
world’s best track athletes during the indoor and outdoor seasons. Pontiac
will take title sponsorship for the Golden Spike Tour event on June 12 in
Raleigh, North Carolina — the Pontiac Grand Prix Invitational. The GM
brands
will also support the television broadcasts of the Golden Spike Tour events.
In 1999, a total of nine Golden Spike Tour events will be broadcast in 12
shows on NBC, CBS, and ESPN.
In addition, a select number of track and field Olympic hopefuls will
benefit from GM’s novel “The Team Behind the Team” program. This new
program
will donate 100 vehicles to the families of aspiring Olympians over the next
18 months. The GM vehicles will be awarded based on the application
criteria
and selection by an Athlete Advisory Panel consisting of a group of former
Olympians including track and field greats Evelyn Ashford, Bob Mathias, and
Carl Lewis.
“All of us at USA Track & Field are grateful for the leadership role
GM is playing in supporting the Olympic movement in the United States,
especially its support of USA Track & Field,” said USA Track & Field CEO
Craig Masback. “The support of GM’s gold medal brands, Pontiac Grand Prix
and GMC Envoy, make it possible to expand the visibility of our leading
athletes via the Golden Spike Tour and we appreciate GM’s efforts in
launching “The Team Behind the Team” program. We look forward to a
long-lasting partnership with GM, working together for the betterment of
track and field in the U.S.”
Bravo, says runner and track writer Ryan Grote, to the
USATF moves.
From: Ryan Grote [[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 1999 3:18 PM
Subject: t-and-f: Way To Go USATF!!!
Seriously.
No, really.
I know that I have been very critical about USATF and many issues for
quite some time. Those are my opinions on those issues, they are not
worth anything, but I stick to them.
However, it is only fair that I take time to salute a freaking BRILLIANT
idea when USATF goes through with one. Seriously. Ryan Lampaa and
others print this out and put up next to your dartboard with my photo on
it (no, I don't think I'm that important, plus I'm way too pretty to
throw darts at...).
I read that the USATF backed Golden Spike meet in Raleigh will be held
IN CONJUNCTION with the National Scholastic Meet. BRILLIANT!
Events have to be tied together. Don't spread our already thin sport
even thinner. It is so logical to have elite athletes appear at big HS
meets, and even more logical to have them compete there. Makes sense
for the kids, elites, even the shoe companies. I am happy about this.
I have to think that the involvement of adidas in youth athletics is
getting things done, especially now with the Golden Spike tour bearing
the 3 stripes, as well.
Next step that I dream of (and have mentioned for a while) do this in
cross country. There are no big post-collegiate/open races anymore
really. There are HUGE high school meets. Most notably those in Van Cortlandt. I don't care what the HS rulebooks say, make it happen.
Manhattan Invite has 8000 kids running!!!! Hello shoe companies. There
are customers. Have an elite race on the same 2.5 mile course. Sorry
Tom Fleming, the record may fall. Imagine Dan Browne, Goucher, Kennedy,
Culpepper, etc. head to head for the 2.5 course? It would be great.
8000 fans there already guaranteed. Imagine how many of those kids
would be inspired and find new heroes in the elites who run sub 12 out
there? Women? How about Suzy, Regina, Cheri Kenah, etc. Same type of
thing could happen at Mt. SAC and the big invite in Illinois. But VCP
would take the cake.
Anyway, had to bring that up, but nice job USATF, it is a step forward
with the Raleigh meet.
Grote
adiRP
