Endorsements

You are bringing the Relays back home--great news!

I have so many fond memories of teaching and coaching at Jesup, and one of the highlights was the J-Hawk Relays. The entire teaching and coaching staff helped put on the Relays and added to the special memories each year. Our athletes loved to perform at home in front of their friends, families, and fans-and they will again with the new proposed complex. The J-Hawk meet records are impressive!

As a coach, part of planning for the Relays was the lining and marking of the track.  Taking the old pull liner around the steel rail trying to keep straight lines was a challenge enough, but then we had to remember where the colored staggers had to be placed!  If it rained, we had to do it over again and again.  I remember one night Coach Baldwin getting the key to the football lights so we could get the track lined before the next day's meet.  Coach Baldwin then carried the PA system to the press box using a 20' shaking ladder-I was holding the ladder and doing the shaking!  We were reminded the next morning by the administration the cost of lighting the football field per hour.

Not only will an all-weather track benefit your track and field athletes, but your entire school and community will have a great wellness station and will enrich your new school complex.  Since I began teaching at Waterloo West High, the school added an all-weather track on campus.  The track is used all through the year.  Even in the deepest snow there is a path the walkers and joggers have made.  I look forward to seeing the new complex and watching the Relays return with new memories.

Mike Sinram – former Jesup Track Coach

Those who are old enough will remember running in the late 1960's, and early 70's , at the present track site, around a wooden rail following a worn grassy path. In the early 70's, we installed a steel rail, put in drain tiles, a gravel base, with an agricultural lime topcoat. This track served us well throughout the 70's, 80's, and into the 90's. Since then, the track has deteriorated, the rail has been removed, being deemed a danger to participants, and Jesup no longer can host track meets.

Having coached track for many years, following three of my own boys who participated in the sport, and watching numerous wonderful performances and careers by Jesup track athletes, I am sold on the importance of the sport. I've always considered it the base sport for all of our sports programs. Strength, quickness, speed, endurance, learning to work hard, intensity, teamwork, developing a "never say quit" attitude, a "you can't out-work-me attitude, are just a few of the positive values of a good track program. Running, jumping, throwing, and hurdling in front of the "home crowd" is something every track athlete should be able to look forward to doing. It promotes the program and makes it seem important.

Home facilities give our athletes an opportunity to compete successfully with the competition. An event like the hurdles requires timing that can only be acquired through repetition day-after-day on a surface like what the athlete will compete on. Handoffs are the difference in most sprint relays and require the proper number of take-off steps, only determined on the competition surface through day-after-day repetitions. All teams (except one) in the North Iowa Cedar League East have competition (hard surface) tracks.

I am confident that Jesup will find a way to fund the proposed track facility, and will equip it with hurdles, blocks, state-of-the-art timing devices, and all the other necessities. Jesup has always been a progressive community, a good school system, one that takes great pride in the accomplishments of its youth. We have always provided good facilities for both students and athletes. I believe it is time for everyone to "get behind" the push for a new track. We have good athletic facilities, but the present track is out-dated and in need of replacement. Now is the time.

Larry Baldwin – former Jesup Track Coach

I feel blessed to be part of the many successes that Jesup has enjoyed over the past forty years. Needless to say great athletes were responsible for those successes, but I like to think that coaches and facilities also played a part. Unfortunately the part played by our facilities is no longer an asset; in fact our track and field event areas need drastic improvements. If we want to continue to have successful track programs, especially in areas like hurdles and the field events we need a major renovation. In the past our programs needed your athletic skills but now, if our track tradition is to continue we need your financial resources.

Dennis Ricklefs – Jesup Middle School Girls Track Coach

Not everyone gets to see the great things that happen inside a school like Jesup, but many people do attend sporting events. A great facility, like the track project, is just a reflection of how much a community cares about its school and gives a hint to visitors of the great things that happen everyday in that school. My short time here has shown me that this community does care about its school and now its time to show it off!

Jason Sullivan – Jesup High School History/Government Teacher, Head Football Coach, Head Boys Track Coach

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." –- Margaret Mead

The Jesup Community School District is fortunate to have a committed group of individuals who have identified a need of the district and have taken on the challenge of making something great happen. The Get Back on the Track committee is committed to the goal of raising funds to build an all weather track for the school district and the members of the Jesup community. The district is encouraged by the efforts by these committee members and we are excited about this future project. In addition to the many benefits the track will provide to our student athletes across all sports, a competitive all weather track is also a great addition to our community. The construction of an all weather track will allow the district to host more events bringing in many spectators from neighboring schools, but it will also provide a safe and enjoyable place for community members to walk and exercise. I commend this group for the hard work and dedication they are committing to this cause, and I look forward to the continued additional support provided by the Jesup community.

Nathan Marting – Superintendent, Jesup Community School