Dayton Masters Track Club fears loss of annual all-ages meet
It’s tough all over. Meets are dying on the vine. The latest to fear being spiked is the Dayton Track Classic. According to this story in the Dayton Daily News, M75 meet director Bob Jones feels like crying. ““You know that commercial where the Indian has a teardrop coming down his cheek?” Jones told reporter Marc Pendleton. “I have teardrops down both cheeks.” More venues are charging egregious rental fees. Don’t they realize that pricing masters meets out of the market will mean NO revenue streams in the future?
Here’s the story for the sake of posterity, in case the link goes down:
Dayton Track Classic runs into hard times
By Marc F. Pendleton, Staff Writer
1:11 AM Wednesday, June 16, 2010Sometimes Bob Jones feels like he’s running around in circles. That would be appropriate, because Jones is president of the Dayton Masters Track & Field Club.
His pet meet, the Dayton Track Classic, is scheduled for Saturday, June 26, at Welcome Stadium. And it might be the last of 20 if the club can’t secure another sponsor by this time next year.
“You know that commercial where the Indian has a teardrop coming down his cheek?” Jones asked. “I have teardrops down both cheeks.”
The meet offers a variety of running and field events for ages 14-18, 19-29 and 30-plus, and usually draws about 100 participants, many of whom travel here from out of state.
Much like the Senior Olympics, it’s not unusual for men and women in their 70s and 80s to compete, sometimes even setting age-group records.
The difference with this meet is those veterans often run after youths or much younger seniors from regional track clubs who are able to produce high school-like results. It’s a great — and rare — mixture of T&F enthusiasm and participation from all ages.
Original sponsor Dayton Parks and Recreation dropped the event because of budget cuts. The stadium rental also was increased by $700 this year.
Jones, at 77 still a tireless proponent of T&F for all ages, will likely fold the club and event if no new sponsors are landed. That won’t be easy.
“Everybody’s singing the blues,” he said.
It’s still not too late to register. The first event is a bargain $12 and $5 more for additional events. Jones can be contacted at (937) 837-2754 or at bjrun1@juno.com.
Contact this writer at (937) 225-2381 or mpendleton@DaytonDailyNews.com.
One Response
This is a great meet. I don’t believe I missed a single one over the years. Many great masters have run at this meet over the year. Charles Allie just to name one. Chraig Wallas, Clarence Ray, Bobby James all sprinters like myself and many others including some very talented women athletes. They have a meet record list that is like a hall of fame. It’s very tuff to break a listed record in any of the age-groups. Every year I say to myself maybe next year I will be added to the list.
Each event is on a time schedule that is strickly followed so you can’t miss your event.
What would improve it is a website and online entry. They do have day of meet entry though. Great officiating in the field events. All usatf officials at this meet are great. Only thing missing is FAT timing for the sprints. It is one of the fastest tracks in Ohio.
One year the meet was video taped for a Dayton Cable Company. Sounds like it may return this year.
Bob runs a great meet. To me this meet has a feel of a National event. Competition is always tops. I hope this will not be the final meet.
I will be there win or loose. I will try the Hurdles this year, but depends on who shows up to give me the best run in the m60 100m or the Hurdles. Plus you can add event when you get there up to about an our before the event.
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