The NSAF is unique in its relationship to our sport. Jim Spier, Tracy Sundlun, Joy Kimani and the late Mike Byrnes, among many key supporters formed decades ago to give high school athletes better opportunities to compete and celebrate the sport. They have done so with vigor and love. This Hall of Fame is a wonderful example. We thank Jim Spier and his team for coming up with this wonderful idea and look forward to writing about this class and others! This piece was from February 8, 2018, but of course, I was traveling and missed it. Thanks to Josh Rowe and Tracy Sundlun for the release.
Inaugural Inductees Announced for National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame
- An inaugural class of 30 legends of track and field, spanning more than 100 years of the sport, were selected by a team of historians
- The National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame will induct the inaugural class of athletes, coaches, and contributors on March 8, 2018 in New York City
NEW YORK – February 3, 2018 – The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF), a non-profit organization created to support and promote high school-age track and field, today announced the inaugural class of the new National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame.
Featuring the sport’s immortal legends like Jesse Owens and Jim Ryun, to all-time greats like Steve Prefontaine and Mary Decker Slaney, to current Olympic superstar Allyson Felix — the inaugural class will feature 30 athletes, coaches and contributors spanning 11 decades of excellence in high school track and field.
Inaugural NSAF Class announced, to be celebrated on March 18, 2018
“Our goal in creating a hall of fame for high school track and field is to honor the greatest athletes, coaches, innovators and contributors in high school track and field history,” said James Spier, Executive Director of the NSAF. “The inaugural class of athletes, coaches, and contributors includes icons of the sport and each of these individuals has made a lasting impact on high school track and field. Generations of athletes have been inspired by and have benefited from their historic accomplishments.”
The 2018 class will be inducted during a gala awards dinner on Thursday, March 8, 2018, at the New York Athletic Club. The dinner will take place on the eve of the New Balance Nationals Indoor Championships at the Armory in New York City.
The Hall of Fame selection committee included noted track and field historians and statisticians Mark Bloom, Bob Jarvis, Dave Johnson, Mike Kennedy, Joe Lanzalotto, Marjorie Larney, Walt Murphy, Jack Pfeifer, Jack Shepard, Jim Spier and Tracy Sundlun. The Hall will honor three categories of inductees:
• Athletes: Competitors who have demonstrated exemplary athletic performance while in high school.
• Coaches: Leaders who have created excellence at the program level, achieving extraordinary results year after year.
• Contributors: Innovators and game changers. These may include administrators or media members who have elevated high school-age track and field through innovative work and tireless dedication.
The following is the complete list of inductees, including their high school, hometown and year of graduation:
For more information on the High School Track and Field Hall of Fame or to view detailed biographies of the inaugural induction class, visit nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org
About the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, Inc.
The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, Inc. (NASF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 c (3) organization founded in 1990 with the mission of supporting high school and junior-aged track and field athletes in the US. The NSAF conducts national high school competitions, including the New Balance Indoor and Outdoor Nationals; clinics and event-specific development projects as well as various grant programs totaling over $250,000 annually. For more information about the NSAF, please visit nationalscholastic.org.
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