The Athletic Department’s Track and Field Program unveiled its first-ever Minisink Valley indoor/outdoor record boards on Nov. 28, which now showcases the outstanding records of its varsity athletes in all indoor and outdoor track and field competition categories.
The indoor record board highlights all-time track and field achievements in 23 categories for girls and boys. The board is located in the front lobby of the school’s gym.
The weather-resistant outdoor record board is affixed to the football scoreboard at the John Bell Field/Charles Drummond Track. It also highlights all-time records in 28 outdoor track and field categories for boys and girls.
“We’re thrilled to showcase the record-setting achievements of our student-athletes,” said Athletic Director Tim Bult. “To have these records now memorialized in this visually stunning way acknowledges these accomplishments and I believe inspires our current student-athletes.”
The idea for both boards is the result of the efforts of Varsity Coaches James Beck and Todd Derkacz to compile and consolidate program records digitally in the seasons immediately preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After sharing those comprehensive records lists with the athletes and parents, Ted Hirsch, father to Kessler Hirsch, a star on the varsity team since the eighth-grade, began advocating for a permanent means of displaying those records,” said Coach Derkacz. “Mr. Hirsch remained the point person for the project, through the design and development phase with Lewis Sign Company.”
Coach Beck noted the record board is an important addition to the track and field program.
“Not only does it give us the opportunity to honor former amazing athletes, but it’s also a motivational piece for our current athletes,” he said. “For the athletes who are working hard, they’re looking up at that record board hoping to one day be on it. It will certainly help push them to get through that tough workout and to train harder.”
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping and throwing skills. The biggest difference between the indoor and outdoor track seasons is the environment in which the sport takes place. The outdoor track season is outside while the indoor season is not. Other differences include that during the indoor season, athletes race on a 200-meter track. During the outdoor season, athletes race on a 400-meter track. There’s also fewer disciplines for indoor track and field.
The acquisition of the record boards was made possible through the financial support of community remembers who enrolled their children in the Track and Field Program’s Youth Summer Camp.
“These same campers who helped raise the money will hopefully one day be on those boards,” added Coach Beck.