Retro Track & Field

This really brought back a flood of memories for me. I used to train at this facility when I first started training for the Decathlon. For all you coaches who have never seen a dirt track and had to drag, rake and line it, you have missed an existential experience. I am happy for Russ, because I know how hard he has worked over the years for an all weather track, but this old track was special. It was cool to see that they had one last meet on the old track. This a newsletter from Russ Smelley the head coach to Friends of Westmont Track & Field:

What a beautiful day we enjoyed here at Westmont for a dual meet with George
Fox University. The setting for our track is dynamic with the mountain
backdrop, the facility looked great and the weather was ideal. It took some
time to get the crushed brick and clay in good condition, but after it was
lined and primed, it provided both teams with a lot of good competition.
Being billed as the last ever crushed brick and clay retro meet, it was
delightful to have the athletes embrace the historical passing of almost 50
years on this facility and that they dressed for the occasion in 70's style.
In a couple of years, the athletes requested a rematch and another theme
meet. I will gladly comply.

For the Warriors, Alison Sharp (FR) had a good day with wins in the discus
(114'2") and shot put(36'11 /1/2") and a second in the hammer (101'6").
Isaac Hayes (FR) won both the 100 yards (10.2) and 220 yards (23.1).
Roslyn Wolfshorndl(FR) made it over 10 hurdles for the first time as she
prepares for a first ever heptathlon later this season. She also placed in
the javelin, high jump and sprint medley relay. Andrew Dixon (JR) pulled
away from his teammates to win the mile(4:27.3) while Ryan Kraft (SR) wore
himself out with a 440 sprint medley relay leg, won the 440 and placed in
the 220. Chris Targoni (JR) did his usual solid duty by placing in the
hammer (138'8"), shot put (43'11") and discus (128'4") Full results at
www.westmont.edu

May I confess that I enjoy working on the track. There will be work to be
done on our future all-weather facility, but there is some romance in
working the crushed brick and clay surface, with a dose of silt and sand, to
the right consistency, trying to keep the surface level and laying down the
lane lines. It is an old craft that has passed its days but it still feels
good to get dusty and dirty in the process. What a pleasure it is to have
such an enduring facility with decades of good memories of competitions
past. The world's most beautiful classroom, the Westmont track, was dressed
up nicely for competition today and my heart was glad to be a part of the
history. Both teams honored its venerable history with an outstanding Track
& Field meet. May you enjoy some good memories yourselves today of great
moments gone by.

In God's grace,

Russell C. Smelley
Westmont Track & Field