A Hop, skip and a jump and not because it’s safer that way!

They’ve finished laying the black top at the Charles Hays track and in fact the surface is almost back to the pristine shape it once was in back on the day that Dan Miller opened it.

Things fell into a bit of dis-repair over the years, as budgetary concerns kept putting the rejuvenation project onto a back burner, leaving the track and its various accessories to pose more of a testimony to good eyesight than athletic skills. It was a wise runner or jumper who kept his head down and eyes watching for a hole, roll or bump that could do more than take a few seconds of your time.

But as school ended this year, the school district decided the time was nigh to bring the facility back up to standard and allocated the money ($530,000 at last report) to get the job done. Now with three weeks to go til the start of school (yikes, how many saw that coming eh!) the job is almost done and plans are in the works to re-open the track in style with an invitational meet.

The Daily retraces our steps along the track and recounts the bumpy road to rejuvenation that it has taken.

RE-OPENED TRACK HAS ATHLETES SET TO HIT START LINE
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Pages One and Six

The sport of track and field is usually reserved for the spring season, where after spring break, high school athletes train and prepare for the short season, with a goal of provincials on everyone’s list.

But with the repair of the Charles Hays Secondary School track underway, officials decided to add a special sporting event to the September schedule, as a way to celebrate the official re-opening of the track for the school season.

“This would be the starter,” said school trustee Brian Johnson, who is also the acting track and field coach for both Rupert High Schools. “It’s (to celebrate) the reopening of the facility.

“If we do have an invitational meet, which I’m sure we will, we’re looking at some time in September.”

Johnson has no interest in holding the track meet any later than Sept. 30, although he will wait at least two weeks into the school year before hosting the event.

“We have to allow everyone to get back into routine,” he said. “But we have to do it when the weather is still good, and September usually is pretty good.

“I would open it up to the Northwest (like Terrace, Kitimat and Smithers) and all the Alaska teams.”

In addition to an inaugural September meet, plans are underway for hosting an annual Panhandle meet in the spring (see Page six for full story).

After a delay that lasted nearly three years, both the school board and the City of Prince Rupert finally came to a financial agreement to get the repairs on the track started. The estimated cost for fixing the track stands at $530,000.

Officials hope to have the repairs complete by Sept. 1.

With the track expected to be back in competitive shape by Sept. 1, Johnson is also hopeful that the September track meet will lead to greater success for the local track athletes.

“No more one-month wonders,” said Johnson. “I’m trying to spread (the training out through the year. If I can bring it out slowly through the year, I can get the athletes more ready to compete.”

Following the conclusion of the invitational meet in September, Johnson will continue to train his athletes through the winter, in preparation for the spring track season.

That said, Johnson expects the local Rupert contingent to perform well at the September meet, despite the lack of initial training time.

“Our track team will be ready and raring to go,” he said.

PANHANDLE TRACK MEET IN THE WORKS
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, August 11, 2006
Page Six

Canada-US relations locally are about to get even more intense than usual, and the issue is expected to be settled on the Charles Hays Secondary School track this spring.

Brian Johnson, coach for both Rupert high school track and field teams, has had the dream for the past few months of hosting a Panhandle track meet. And now, with the work underway to restore and repair the track, the dream can become reality, setting up a U. S. versus Canada battle.

“The guy in Ketchikan put the seed out there,” said Johnson.

Ketchikan has been looking a long time for more competition for their athletes, as opposed to settling on the odd excursion up to Juneau during the shortened track and field season. After discussion with Johnson about the possibility of setting up a meet between Ketchikan and Rupert teams, Johnson began trying to put a plan together regarding a Panhandle event.

Meanwhile, other Southeast Alaska communities like Metlakatla, Wrangell and possibly even Craig could join the Ketchikan Kings making up what could an impressive field for a track and field competition.

“It would be cheaper for the Alaskan team to come down as a group,” said Johnson.

“It would be early spring for a possible Panhandle track meet.

“It’s just a matter of getting a hold of all the Alaskan coaches.”

Ketchikan, Rupert’s closest U. S. neighbour up the Panhandle coast, currently trains at an indoor track.

And while the possibility is always there that in the future, Ketchikan and Rupert could alternate as hosts for the Panhandle meet, that won’t be possible with current Canadian school athletic budgets.

”The Ketchikan coach said that the budget is around $100,000 US,” said Johnson.

“Their budgets are 10-fold compared to us. We would really have to look at the budget before considering that.”

Johnson would also invite local Northwest teams like Terrace and Kitimat to the event.

The Panhandle track meet would also add another even to the list of meets for Northwest athletes. Currently there are only three (Prince Rupert, Prince George and Smithers)

“It gives our team a chance of something to look forward to,” said Johnson.