NEWS 

6/15/03   Several Oklahoma track and field athletes performed well in post season meets. Results of Golden West and Great Southwest

4/28/03   Jessica Eldridge of Broken Arrow sets State Record in the 1600. Great race with Brianna McLeod.

4/01/03   If the indoor performances are any indication, the outdoor season should be a very exciting one. So far the outdoor season has been hampered by some bad weather and some meet cancellations, but some good early performances show that April and May will bring a show you won't want to miss.

Results from meets are coming in fairly well, but several meets are missing. To keep the Best Performance Lists up to date we need results. Only results that are posted will be used for these lists. All times will be considered hand times and rounded up unless FAT is confirmed by the meet official and is indicated on the results we receive.

We would also like to post Best Performances by Class Lists but need some help. If you would like to contribute please contact us for details.

2/27/03   OTCA President Steve Patterson of Jenks High School is forming a Track and Field Development Committee to help advance track and field in Oklahoma. Anyone interested in being a member of this committee should contact Steve at Jenks High School (918-299-4415 X2428 or e-mail pattermich@familynet.net ). He will form a pool of candidates and select from this pool. You must be a member of the OTCA. Meetings will be held before the end of the season and at the end of the season.

Gary Boxley is looking for input on Clinic speakers. If you have suggestions for the Summer Clinic contact him at Guthrie High School (405-282-5906).

2/25/03   Check results from the indoor season. Oklahoma athletes have put up some of the best performances in the nation. It looks like it could be a great spring season.

2/01/03   Results from OBU Indoor Meet and Arkansas University Indoor 1-25

1/18/03   Congratulations!  Two fine men were inducted into the Oklahoma Track Coaches Hall of Fame this weekend. Coach Danny Daniels of Hominy and Coach Charles Butler of Wynnewood were added to this elite group.

Coach Daniels has served as the head track coach at Hominy for the last 23 years along with many other duties. His teams have been very successful, winning State Championships in 2000, 1983, and 1981.

Coach Butler has been the coach at Wynnewood for 30 years. His teams have also been outstanding in winning several State Championships (1983,1984, 1993).

Cross Country Coaches of the Year Awards were presented at the Oklahoma Coaches Association Winter Clinic this weekend.

The Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year is Martha O'Rourke of Jenks High School.

The Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year went to Forrest Simpson of Shawnee High School and Jim Coleman of Watonga High School.

Major Collegiate and Professional Meet

       On Saturday, Feb. 15, the Tyson Invitational Track Meet will be held in the Randal Tyson Indoor Track at the University of Arkansas. The collegiate meet will be held the evening before.

This year, the Saturday meet will be an all professional meet running from 5 to about 9:30 pm.  The only exception will be a high school mile, featuring the top high school milers from around the country.  One of the high schoolers is passing up the Milrose Games to run at the Tyson Meet.

Featured athletes for the Tyson meet will be Stacey Dragila (women's record holder in the pole vault), Kelly Suttle (also a pole vaulter), Maurice Greene and Tim Hardin in the 60 meters. There will be a lot of other athletes whose names track fans will recognized.  ESPN will be broadcasting the meet.

11/29-02

ATTENTION COACH !!

CAN YOU HELP OUR SPORT ???

Please consider these issues:

1. We need a place for our Indoor Track. It is FREE to anyone that wants it.

We can no longer store the Track at the Expo Center in Shawnee. If you

know of a place that could store this Track, or has a place large enough to

set it up, please contact me: Ford Mastin

405-878-2133

Ford_Mastin@okbu.edu

When you contact me, I will give you the details about how much room it

takes to store it, and how much space is needed to have the Track

assembled. This TRACK needs to stay in Oklahoma. However, I will be

putting this Ad in the Texas Track website. We will help with the cost of

shipping this Track to your city if you are committed to help INDOOR

TRACK!

**the track has to be off the Expo Center grounds by Monday, Feb. 10.

2. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE EXPERIENCING BUDGET CUTS THAT MAY KEEP YOU FROM PARTICIPATING AT THIS YEAR�S INDOOR MEET . . . . . .

If you are willing to work at the meet, you can "work-off" the entry fee.

AND - if you can only come on Saturday, but you are a 4A-5A school, we

can work things to help you run on Saturday (in an "unattached"-type

set-up).

****When OBU was at the National Cross Country Meet, I got the chance to talk

with coaches from several states about the economy�s effect on sports at all levels in

their states. Every state I talked to has problems � even mighty Texas has cuts in

some form. California even has cuts.

Please be creative and enthusiastic about providing opportunities for your young

athletes to have a good experience with Track during this time. A general "lack of

interest" would be devastating to the future of our sport. Keep working and look

forward to the time that this gloomy financial down-time will pass.

Winter Clinic          OTCA Indoor Meet

Please don't let the economic crunch prevent you from attending the winter clinic. The clinic is for our track coaches so don't let the registration fee prevent you from attending We will work something out. Also, this may be the last indoor meet at Shawnee so don't let money prevent you from bringing your kids. We need your teams there competing so we will work something out so you can attend the meets. Together we will get through these tough times so we will do whatever is necessary for you to be able to attend the clinic and the indoor meets.

Sincerely, Randy Belicek