When I climbed aboard my old Ranger Tuesday evening, my right foot was cramping so much I had a bit of difficulty with the accelerator.
That was an outcome of me spending a good six hours on my feet watching Iola Middle School’s annual track extravaganza. We had so many sporting events that day I was pressed into service to get a few photos for the Register.
The meet, for the most part under sunny skies with balmy temperatures, drew about 900 kids from 20 schools and demonstrated for the umpteenth time what having a solid organizational plan can do. The meet came off seamlessly.
I’m not sure what his total role was, but Jack Stanley, IMS principal, seemed to be everywhere at once, getting kids in place at the start of races and rattling off finishes, ensuring the computerized element of marking down placings was accurate, and probably taste-testing concessions a time or two.
Stanley was far from alone.
Many teachers and staff from the middle school, as well as others, joined the fun, pitching in to complete the gargantuan task of running a meet so large. Sixth-grade students also helped out with all sorts of chores.
Iola’s relatively new all-weather surface track makes all the difference to the running events, compared to the old cinder track where lane lines were designated by a lime-filled applicator.
The meet went on until about 9:30, by which time chill of evening had set in, but I doubt if many kids were bothered by the lower temperatures.
Their energy seemed to know no bounds.
All in all it was another good day in Iola to write home about.
— Bob Johnson
IMS knows how to put on a meet
