Whitley County High School track and field Head Coach Terry Lanham has described this season as a “full circle moment” for him personally. As a 2001 graduate of WCHS, he was around when the school was still hosting track meets on a regular basis. That ended just a few years after he left, but now, thanks to a major investment by the board of education to overhaul the school’s track facility, the Colonels are ready to host events once again.
“It really means a lot to me,” Lanham said, adding that the student-athletes, their families and other community members have all been expressing their excitement recently over the newly remodeled track area that includes new jumping pits, hurdles, blocks, flags and more.
“Everything that you need to run a track meet, they got for us,” Lanham said.
The biggest upgrade is to the track itself, which surrounds the middle school’s football field. The track that was previously there has been completely removed and replaced with what is known as a post-tension concrete track. The special construction provides an ideal running surface for competitors, and also prevents cracks and other types of damage that commonly occur as a result of extreme temperature fluctuations as seasons change.
Lanham said that the improvements have helped to generate a lot of new interest in the school’s track and field program, with many students deciding to come out and give running and/or jumping a try for the first time this spring.
Speaking about this year’s team, Lanham said that he expects to see some state qualifiers by season’s end. He said that the Colonels should be competitive in several relay events, as well as distance races. He also said that he has seen a lot of improvement when it comes to field events.
As one of only a few schools in the region able to host track and field meets, Lanham is hopeful that Whitley will get the nod to host a regional championship meet at some point in the near future. Before that happens, the new track is scheduled to see its first competition when the Colonels will host several other local schools for a distance meet on Tuesday, April 8. The first full meet, which is being called the Colonel Classic, is scheduled for Friday, May 2.
Lanham encouraged everyone who is able to come out to see the new track for themselves on those dates if they can. He extended a special invitation to alumni of the WCHS track and field program, offering them free admission if they choose to attend.
