THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Saturday, March 5, 2016

You’d think that after 32 years of coaching track and field that at some point, Linda Lanker might slow down a little bit.

Not even close.

Lanker coached the Coeur d’Alene High girls track program to five straight Region 1 championships, the boys to four in her six years before resigning at the end of last season.

Her next coaching job though, well, it’s going to be worth the wait.

LANKER WAS appointed as head women’s track and field coach for the United States in the 2017 Pan American Games, with the site to be determined soon.

“It’s great,” said Lanker, who is in her 19th season coaching hurdles at the Community Colleges of Spokane, and 32nd season overall as a coach. “It just really kind of feels like a gift. There’s a lot of really good coaches in this country, and to have this opportunity to do this is a real blessing. The last two times, I’ve been a coach on the men’s side, so it will be nice to be on the women’s side.”

USA Track and Field appoints the coaching staff.

“I don’t have any say-so in that, but it will be really nice to get to know the other coaches,” Lanker said. “Some will be Division I, and some from the NAIA. It will be fun to have that role and get to oversee that and know that things will go smoothly. The really fun part will be to see the kids from this will go on from here and have a shot at the Olympics someday.”

During the U.S. Olympic Trials July 1-10 in Eugene, Ore., Lanker will run the protest table during the track events.

“If there’s a dispute in the running events, they come to me,” Lanker said. “I oversee the rules and if they want to protest or appeal a ruling, they come to me to get a rules interpretation and pay to file a protest.”

While that can be a high intensity setting, Lanker added that her job is simple — keep composed.

“I’ve been the protest person at the trials since 2007,” Lanker said. “It can be a little nerve-wracking, but I enjoy it. My job is to calm people down.”

NOW WITH her duties limited to an assistant at Spokane, she’s got more time for the other things in life as well.

“CCS gave me an office and now I’m coaching the sprints, hurdles and relays, which is fun,” Lanker said. “I’ve got a bunch of really good kids. I’m really enjoying it and like being back in the assistant coaching job. I can coach and have all that 1-on-1 time and really have a great group of kids. I get a chance to see my grandkids and coach, which is great.”

Lanker also recommended new Coeur d’Alene High track coach Justin Aguilar to replace her as coach.

“Justin competed for me at Spokane,” Lanker said. “I saw him working at Costco and he said if I ever needed help to let him know, so the last three to four years, he’s been helping with the high jumpers.”

Tim Haakenson and Anthony Dahlheimer will be assistants for Coeur d’Alene this year.

“They’re going to make a real good team,” Lanker said. “They’re going to be fine. They want to keep the program going in the right direction and all love track, and the coaches that are coaching should have a love for the sport.”

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JEPressSports.