Track coaches group decides to honor athletes
The state’s best high school track and field athletes will be recognized this spring, even though a majority of them never performed during a single outdoor meet this year.
The Arkansas Track Coaches Association elected to honor athletes for how well they performed during the state indoor track meets, as well as their academic achievements. About 1,900 athletes from 108 schools in all classifications competed in the indoor meets, which were held Feb. 28-29 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.
The recognition comes after some texts were shared between
Fayetteville track Coach Drew Yoakum, who serves as the state indoor track meet director, and ATCA President Chris Beavert of Cabot. The ATCA board, which consists of many of the state’s current coaches and some former track coaches, then came up with a procedure to give out its awards.
“We texted each other one day and said we needed to do this,” Yoakum said. “We think it’s a great deal for our kids and an opportunity to recognize some kids in Arkansas.
“There are 300-plus kids that are going to be honored through the coaches association for their achievement, which I think is great at this time. We’re trying to keep track important and honoring some kids that might not have been honored during this time.”
The all-Arkansas team includes 14 boys and 16 girls throughout the state and in all classifications based on how well they performed — in scoring points for their respective team, as well as national rankings — during the 2019-20 indoor season. The all-Arkansas academic team recognizes athletes who have a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average and scored at least a 25 on the ACT.
A new award, the all-state team, is one similar to the one the Arkansas Activities Association hands out once the track season is completed. Those who were named to this list, which is broken down by classification, had to win or finish second in any event during the state indoor track meets.
“Due to the pandemic, we have made many adjustments to our process,” Beavert said in a news release. “During this time of hardship, we wanted to give our high school athletes something positive about their track and field season, even though many schools didn’t have an opportunity to run any outdoor meets.”
The ATCA normally hands out awards during its annual banquet, which is usually held in June at Little Rock. That will not take place this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, so those who earned their respective honors will receive a certificate.