Dr. Woodhall Alumni Update (Girls State Track)

Friends:

Because so many of you have an interest in Cross Country/Track/Field in general, and more specifically about EIU folks involved, I’ve tried to share some (a very small bit) of what went on last weekend as EIU hosted the “Girls State Meet” (being doing it for some 35 years).  This year, schools were divided into three classes (1A, 2A and 3A..smallest to largest by enrollment) which provided a 3 day event....with finals for all three classes on Saturday.

Here are a few picture stories that may interest you.  There is no attempt to be complete with results etc.  A most thorough summary can be found at www.ihsa.org  Here are “random” pictures with some human interest stuff.

AWARDS
Three classes meant lots of trophies....and medals (432 of them just for the placers...top 9...in each of four relays...three classes)  Johnie Meisner (74) was quick to point out “No wonder they went to a 3 day meet and charged $10 entry each day...gotta pay for the awards some how”




DRIVE BY SHOOTINGS (Pictures....that is)

It pays to advertise.....Mike Viano (81) has one of the best known Sporting Goods Businesses (First to the Finish) in the mid-west.  Thousands saw his advertisement at the meet.  Mike continues to run, helps the athletes at Carlinville HS, has a daughter (Kelsie) who ran for EIU this past year and a son (Austin) who has a bright future as a distance runner....he qualified in the top ten for the 3200 meter run at Boys State Meet


 
You can’t run a meet without important folks like these.  From left to right (Matt Piescinski...EIU Alum who is the “voice” of EIU and State Track Competitions..Public Address Announcer),  Ed “Mac” Corley (retired EIU Prof of Economics, long time EIU Track Official, Marshal/gate watcher at meet and most recently announced as being selected to go into the EIU Athletic Hall of Fame (Nov. 14, 2009) and Keith Jacobi (74- EIU Track star and long time HS track official....starter etc.  His official capacity at the meet was titled “Assistant Referee –Conflicts” and they kept him busy resolving numerous disputes.



Paul James (81?) was an outstanding “Field Athlete” --- shot,  discus etc.  on our teams, nearly 30 years ago.  Now he is the Head Track Coach at Belleville West High School who WON the Class 3A State Championships with 53 points.   He is the younger brother of Bill James (79) EIU runner and a long time public school administrator.  Ironically, competing 140 miles away in the Illinois Elementary School Track Championships, held in East Peoria, Bill’s daughter (Julie) was “cleaning” up for her team (El Paso-Gridley) in the 8th grade state meet.  She won the 800 meters (and set a new state record at 2:16) the high jump (5’3”), anchored the winning 4 x 400 meter relay team (4:13) and placed 3rd in the mile (5:23).   The James Boys....and those they love really scored big over the weekend.


Part of the reason for the success of Belleville West HS, is Mike Moore (80)...a former EIU distance runner.   Long time EIU teacher and Track Starter ...and IHSA Official, Gene McFarland, visits with Mike at the meet.

Jim “Jungle” Hill (79) doesn’t get back to campus nearly as much as his friend Johnie Meisner (74), who shows up in Charleston several times each year to officiate track meets.  Jim now lives in Battle Creek, MI and is employed by Northrup-Grumond Corp as a “data management” expert for US Defense.  He and his wife Mary (she does research with the Pfizzer Pharmaceutical Company) have a five year old son named Joseph.  Jim still runs regularly and Johnie always has some special project involving track and field...following his graduation from EIU, Johnie was one of the top “Master’s” athletes in the Mid-west, winning championships and setting age group records in field events....especially the high jump.



On of the reasons Johnie was at the State Meet, is Hilary Hobler a senior from Lincoln HS.   As a 15 foot long jumper last year, her father asked Johnie if he would provide some coaching help.  She is a mild mannered, beautiful young lady, and with her efforts and Johnie driving some 7,000 miles to coach her during the past year, she jumped 18’ 2” indoors a few months ago.   Last Saturday wasn’t her best outing, but she placed 7th.



Johnie is kind of a legend when it comes to EIU Track and Field.   As a graduate student, he compiled the first complete set of records (called the Blue Book) and wrote a book about Dr. Maynard “Pat” O’Brien (long time successful EIU Track Coach and Administrator).  In 1976, our EIU Track Team was out of town, competing in Slippery Rock, PA at the NCAA Track and Field Championships.  As a very knowledgeable person about track, meet organization etc. the IHSA asked Johnie to be the Meet Director (it was one of the very first girls meets).  Johnie agreed to do it and it RAINED, non-stop for two days.   They would have to delay events, move some to the indoor track etc.  This was quite a management achievement and most everyone acknowledged that it would have been a disaster if he hadn’t been there to “direct” the thing.   Johnie knows how to get to the important issues in any decision making.  Here, he counsels Hilary between two of her long jump attempts.




Jim Dickey (76) works as a Track Official and many meets during the year....mainly at the University of Illinois.  Here, he was running the wind gauge (Anemometer) for the Long and Triple Jump events....not much wind...no real controversy.  Jim still works for the State of Illinois and lives in Springfield.


The Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association has honored coaches with “Hall of Fame” status since the early 1970’s.   Several coaches with EIU ties have been honored (John Davis and Tom Woodall – 1987), (Greg Crockett and Tony Cork – 2003), (Ken Klipp – 2004), (Fred Miller – 2007),  and most recently (Dike Stirrett – 2009)  though now retired after 30+ years of coaching at Central (Champaign) Dike now assists at Tolono (Unity...who won their Boys Sectional.  Ironically, he has Gary Wieneke (Former U of Illinois coaching legend) coaching with him.  Tim Gateley (EIU Record Holder in the Long Jump 24’ 11 3/4”) is the head coach.  

Here Dike  he poses with Angelo Rinchiuso who was also inducted this year...but he is an Illinois State ..boo graduate who coached very successfully in Quincy and is now co-coaching with Bill Harbeck (formerly at Charleston HS and many successful years at Decatur MacArthur) at Mt. Zion and Decatur MacArthur.

Angelo has been a tireless worker in promoting track and cross country in Illinois and has taken responsibility for the Hall of Fame display boards shown below.  From now on, they will be on display at both Boys and Girls State Meets.  In addition, Angelo observed that Dr. Maynard “Pat” O’Brien had never been nomisteeplewebd (a fact that slipped by all of us), so he took care of that recently.

Dr. Scott Crawford (A 20 year EIU Professor, Advisor, Author, Friend and very knowledgeable track fan) enjoys the meet.  He takes a lot of “flak” about his FSU (Florida State University) hat, but claims he really likes that hat....and not necessarily the university.   We are threatening to put an EIU band around the brim.  Scott plans to retire next year.


Palatine High School was the Runner-Up for the State Championship in Class 3 A (largest schools) and every tim their red jerseys went around the track, many of us thought of Fred Miller (77) who coached at Palatine so successfully for so many years.  Ironically, because his daughter now attends Fremd HS (BIG Palatine Rival) Fred is helping to coach her.   This anchor runner for the 4 x 800 Relay ran very well...that team finished 2nd in that event.


Long time successful coach Jim Acklin (79 ) and now Superintendent of Schools in St. Joseph, IL, was in attendance at the meet with his dad, but they successful “ducked” the photographer so we have no picture.   St. Joe-Ogden had two relay teams make the finals, but wouldn’t you think they put their names on the jerseys?

Stephanie Brown (Downs Tri-Valley) was one of the most outstanding performers in the meet.  She is headed to Arkansas (darn it) next fall.  She ran in four events (won three...mile, 800, 4 x 800 and ran a leg on the 4 x 400m)  Her team finished third in the state.  Here she is shown winning the 800 m prelims (2:09 ) just missing the state record.



Greg Crockett (late 1960’s) was a great EIU sprinter.  He now coaches the Cahokia Girls Team  They ended up placing third over-all in the Class 2A competition, but his big smile right now is for his sprinter/hurdler, Latquitsha Bejolle who had just won two individual events.


Pat Hodge (80) long time coach at Princeton HS, continues to bring girl qualifiers to the State Meet.  Mark McCabe graduated in 1978 and is a very successful coach at Hinsdale.  He coaches boys, but his wife, Sarah coaches girls at Oak Park – River Forest.  Her gals finished 7th in the state