Posted 6:13 p.m. Monday, April 1, 2013
Volunteers are needed for the 2013 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 23-25, at UW-L. Many alums plan to return to help out.
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UW-L Alumnus Scott Sponholz pictured in UW-L's 1973 yearbook. Sponholz is pictured leading the pack with one lap remaining in the 600 yard dash trial at the La Crosse Indoor Invitational.[/caption]
UW-L is in need of more volunteers for the championship meet, says Don Fritsch, volunteer coordinator. Scott Sponholz, a former high school track coach and volunteer at the WIAA state track meet for more than 30 years, will be a USATF certified official at the meet. UW-L is looking for as many USATF certified officials to work the meet as possible, says Fritsch. These positions involve managing a field event, assisting with measuring and recording, being an umpire and other tasks. Many volunteer positions are also needed that don’t require formal certification. People can volunteer in four primary areas including: running events, field events, administration or hospitality. Volunteers could assist with ticket sales, selling merchandise, raking sand, serving as an athletes assistant\blocks, marshall, hurdle crew, or other duties.
Many of the volunteers thus far have ties to UW-L track and field. Fritsch was head men’s cross country coach from 1998 to 2011, assistant coach from 1991-97, and the men’s distance coach for the track team from 1991-2012. He’s also been on organizing committees in charge of organizing past national meets at UW-L. With years of experience, he says helping manage this meet was a natural step.
Stan Druckrey, ’70, is a former track athlete and retired school teacher, featured on UW-L's Athletic Wall of Fame. He still coaches cross county and track in South Milwaukee. He says he comes back to UW-L regularly with his athletes for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Track and Field Meet and plans to be an official at the NCAA meet.
“It’s great to come back and reminisce — see what’s new,” says the former hurdler and sprinter.
UW-L Alumnus Scott Sponholz pictured in UW-L's 1973 yearbook. Sponholz is pictured leading the pack with one lap remaining in the 600 yard dash trial at the La Crosse Indoor Invitational.[/caption]
Volunteers needed for national track meet in May at UW-L
Nearly 40 years ago UW-L Alumnus Scott Sponholz could run the 440 yard dash in 49.5 seconds. These days the quarter mile race is measured in meters. And Sponholz, now 60 years old, has no desire to sprint it. But that doesn’t stop him from returning to UW-L’s track to absorb the stir of the crowd and the thrill of the gun’s eruption on race day. Sponholz, ’75, of Eau Claire, is one of the many former UW-L track and field alums returning to campus to volunteer for the 2013 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 23-25, 2013, at the Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. UW-L has the honor of hosting about 800 athletes for the meet — the NCAA Division III’s largest championship event of the year. This is the third time the competition will be held at UW-L. Previous years were 1986 and 1997. “What’s exciting about it is it’s a national meet. You see runners from other parts of the country and it’s fun to talk to them and get to know them — see how they compete,” says Sponholz. “ It’s just exciting to be at a big meet like this.”UW-L is in need of more volunteers for the championship meet, says Don Fritsch, volunteer coordinator. Scott Sponholz, a former high school track coach and volunteer at the WIAA state track meet for more than 30 years, will be a USATF certified official at the meet. UW-L is looking for as many USATF certified officials to work the meet as possible, says Fritsch. These positions involve managing a field event, assisting with measuring and recording, being an umpire and other tasks. Many volunteer positions are also needed that don’t require formal certification. People can volunteer in four primary areas including: running events, field events, administration or hospitality. Volunteers could assist with ticket sales, selling merchandise, raking sand, serving as an athletes assistant\blocks, marshall, hurdle crew, or other duties.
Many of the volunteers thus far have ties to UW-L track and field. Fritsch was head men’s cross country coach from 1998 to 2011, assistant coach from 1991-97, and the men’s distance coach for the track team from 1991-2012. He’s also been on organizing committees in charge of organizing past national meets at UW-L. With years of experience, he says helping manage this meet was a natural step.
Stan Druckrey, ’70, is a former track athlete and retired school teacher, featured on UW-L's Athletic Wall of Fame. He still coaches cross county and track in South Milwaukee. He says he comes back to UW-L regularly with his athletes for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Track and Field Meet and plans to be an official at the NCAA meet.
“It’s great to come back and reminisce — see what’s new,” says the former hurdler and sprinter.