Not quite the same glory days at state track

If you want to talk glory days of high school track and field in the state of Idaho, it happened at Bronco Stadium in Boise — site of the state meet for several decades.

On a given weekend, you could see the biggest schools in the state in one session, then see smaller schools a few minutes later.

Those days, for now, are long gone.

WHEN THIS year’s state track and field meet unfolds May 17-18, athletes in the 5A and 4A classification will be at a new home — for now at least — as those meets will be contested at Eagle High.

Schools in the 5A and 4A classification had been at Dona Larsen Park in Boise since 2014.

“Our board was looking at logistics when picking a state track site,” Idaho High School Activities Executive Director Ty Jones said. “Eagle has the parking and approximately same number of seats as Dona Larsen.”

In past years, spectators would have to park at Bronco Stadium and walk or ride a shuttle bus to Dona Larsen, with parking at that site limited to meet workers.

“Going back to Dona Larsen would depend on the schools,” Jones said. “About two-thirds of the schools were ones who wanted it moved from Dona Larsen Park.”

Count Lake City track and field coach Kelly Reed as one that likes the idea of going back to Dona Larsen eventually.

“I don’t know why it’s at Eagle as opposed to some of the other schools down there,” Reed said. “It’s kind of out of the way from everything, and on one of the busiest roads in Idaho (Eagle Road). I hope it’s not at Eagle very long personally, and would love to see it go back to Dona.”

Reed coached the Lake City girls to state 5A titles in 2003 and 2004, both at Bronco Stadium.

Brian Kluss has coached at Timberlake for 17 years, leading the boys to 3A titles in 2006 and 2007, then the girls to the 2011 championship, all at BSU.

“I miss BSU a lot,” Kluss said. “Not Dona Larsen, because I didn’t care to go over there. But the stadium, where it was, it was great. We still get have ours — the 1A, 2A and 3A — at Middleton, so we’re at least all together, which I really appreciate.”

The 5A and 4A schools last competed at state at Eagle High in 2013.

All five classifications were together for state for the final time in 2011, when the meet was Thursday to Saturday at Bronco Stadium.

In 2012, the 5A meet was at Rocky Mountain High in Meridian, 4A at Middleton High, 3A at Eagle High, 2A at Centennial High (Boise) and 1A at Mountain View High (Meridian). In 2013, 5A and 4A meets were at Eagle High, and 3A, 2A, 1A all at Middleton High for the first time.

“Having the track meet at Bronco Stadium was the best event that we had in my opinion,” Jones said. “I truly believe that it was our showcase event, because it had all the schools in the state at one venue.”

“For people that never get to go, the state track meet was the best event of the year,” Reed said. “All five classifications were there. And you’ve got 5A finals on Friday night and all the 1A, 2A, 3A prelims. A bad night was 8,000 in the stands, and a good night was 15,000 to 16,000 people. Running under the lights, there was something really special about that. And we won’t see that again.”

MEANWHILE, THE 3A, 2A and 1A meets have been at Middleton since 2013 after a brief stay at Eagle in 2012.

While field events begin at 8 a.m. PDT, with the 3,200 held at 9:30, it is the lone running event until 3:30 that afternoon. Saturday’s events start again at 8 a.m., and run all day, with a parade of athletes at 10:30 in the morning serving as the lone break of the day.

“We have some gaps in there which I like because they’re what help us get some rest,” Kluss said. “We did it one year at Eagle and I didn’t like it. We were by ourselves and it felt like going to any other meet. It was really, really pressed and it seemed like we were going too fast.”

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.