Track and field fans better stock up on sunscreen and bring plenty of cold drinks because if the weather forecasters are right, the temperatures at this year’s 3A/4A state championships are going to be far different than what most people are accustomed to.
For the first time in about 20 years, Star Track won’t be staged at the venerable Lincoln Bowl in Tacoma. The meet is headed east to Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco.
The championships will be in Pasco for the next two years. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) executive board made the decision to move the meet to the east side of the state to try and accommodate athletes on the other side of the mountains.
Coaches already are preparing their runners, jumpers and throwers for the anticipated higher temperatures.
Edmonds-Woodway coach Kolleen Seals is instructing her athletes to start increasing their intake of fluids now.
“Trying to find shade is kind of a problem,” Seals added.
The temperatures in Pasco on May 30-31 range from 52 to 78 degrees, a sharp contrast from Tacoma’s cooler 49 to 68 range.
The decision to move the championships to Pasco drew a mixed response among coaches. Some coaches on the western side of the state see the heat as being a potential issue for many of their athletes.
Shorecrest was among several area squads that competed at last month’s Pasco Invitational. The temperature was in the mid 70s that day.
“I think a lot of the kids were zapped by the end of the day,” Scots coach Don Dalziel said. “You’ve got to stay hydrated and out of the sun.”
Fans should check the schedule carefully because some events, such as the boys 3,200-meter race, will be run at different times in anticipation of the heat.
WIAA assistant executive director Kevin Griffin noted that Edgar Brown Stadium has a number of upgrades, including increased seating capacity and new artificial turf.
“It’s a totally different facility than it was two, three years ago,” he said.
Seals admits she has a fondness for the Lincoln Bowl for purely personal reasons. Seals won a state title in the triple jump there in 1991 as a junior at Edmonds-Woodway High School.
“I love that track,” she said. “That’s where I competed … it’s always fun to go back and be there.”
One of the advantages of Edgar Brown Stadium for spectators are the sight lines from the stands.
“People can see a lot of events,” said Lynnwood coach Duane Lewis. “All of the events can be witnessed from the stands.”
“It’s a fantastic venue for track and field,” added Dalziel.
David Pan and Charlie Laughtland cover sports for The Enterprise Newspapers. Questions and comments may be sent via e-mail to entsports@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-774-8622 or by mail to: Sports editor, The Enterprise, 4303 198th St. SW., Lynnwood, WA 98036.
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