Notable alumni return to the track
Returning coach calls back former athletes for help
April 8, 2015
Heading into the spring, head track coach Richard Keith’s hardest obstacle to overcome was not filling spots for events, but filling the remaining spots of his coaching staff. The return of three of his most prolific alumni resulted.
Prior to the season, Keith crossed paths with former long and high jumper Lekpea Kordah, triple jumper Austin Delaney and hurdler Scott Gilbert, all of which are Park graduates who wanted to get into coaching, according to Keith.
“All of these guys wanted to get into coaching in some way, and they came to me because they were interested in coaching at the school they previously ran at,” Keith said.
According to Keith, all three of these Park graduates competed at the state level in high school for their respective events, as well as at the collegiate level. However, Keith said he notices these coaches are respected, not through their accomplishments, but by their attitudes at practice.
“These guys are great role models and I catch the sense that the younger guys respect them; not just for what they did in high school, but by how they carry themselves as people,” Keith said.
Ray Whitlock who does high jump, said he enjoys the commitment and energy these coaches bring to the team.
“I think the coaches are dedicated and really care about us jumpers. It helps that they did track in college and knows how fun it is and wants us to experience the same joy and fun moments she did,” Whitlock said.
Keith, who is in his twentieth year of coaching, said despite the benefits of younger coaches on his staff, it also presents more work for him in teaching them how to coach.
“It’s rejuvenating to see the grads helping out because they can run with the students and they tend to understand them a little bit more, because that was them, ” Keith said. “But it is also different in that way because I now need to teach not only my runners how to run, but my coaches how to coach.”
Lekpea Kordah attended Augsburg College where he competed in both track and soccer. He is the current jumps coach for the track team, and said returning to Park is something he never imagined would happen, but is grateful to do so.
“It’s a great and unexpected feeling to come back to Park and coach alongside Keith and help a program that helped me develop,” Kordah said. “I have great expectations for this years jumpers and their work ethic in general.”
