a tale of the track
This is the story of Collegiate’s new track, and, though he scoffs at the notion, the man who inspired it.
First the track.
Its trade name is Maxflex BL. The well-cushioned, black surface is one-half inch thick, the maximum you’ll find at most high school and college facilities and the thickness prescribed by the International Amateur Athletic Federation, the governing body for the Olympic Games.
Installed by Precision Sports Surfaces Inc. of Charlottesville, it’s made of “reclaimed” rubber, actually 60,000 pounds of recycled truck and bus tires bound together by a substance called styrene butadiene latex.
Once the surface was put in place with the original, 40-year-old asphalt heirloom as part of its base, Robert Stone and his wife Helen, whose Austin, TX, based firm is called The Track Doctor, added the lines. When the paint dried, the new track (along with a resurfaced high jump apron plus separate runways for the long jump, triple jump, and pole vault) was good to go.
“The two surfaces are so drastically different,” said Steven Banks, a senior cross country and track athlete who’s competed since the seventh grade. “It’s like running in brand new, fitted shoes as opposed to old, worn-out ones.”
Last Saturday at Homecoming, a large assemblage of past and present athletes and coaches, students and their families, friends, and benefactors shared in the ribbon-cutting festivities. Keith Evans, head of school, lauded the teamwork and generosity of those who made possible the track and new bleachers, buildings, fences, walkways, and landscaping around the Grover C. Jones Field. Then with a large pair of ceremonial scissors, head track coach Jim Hickey did the honors, which brings us to the inspiration.
A Washington & Lee graduate and former Marine Corps officer, Hickey came to Collegiate in 1967 and took over the program in 1968. For the duration, he’s coached without complaint or excuse on the oldest, most unforgiving track in the Prep League. Along the way, his teams won Prep League titles in 1971, ‘72, ‘73, ‘76, ‘81, ‘82, and ‘83 and the state championship in ‘73 and ’82. He’s been the league’s coach of the year numerous times, most recently in 1999 and 2001,and his even temperament, sportsmanship, humor, wisdom, and quiet intensity have earned him the undying respect of colleagues, athletes, and competitors alike.
It was no wonder then that when our Development Office mailed its first solicitation letter in August 2000, all constituencies of the Collegiate community, as well as a group of Hickey’s college classmates, responded quickly.
“Whenever I called people, no doubt Jim’s name provided a lot of impetus,” said Thomas F. Farrell, the father of a current runner and a key volunteer in the fund raising effort. “People wanted to honor him, and that made my phone calls easy.”
Just as Hickey has always graciously spread the credit for the Cougars’ track successes to his colleagues and athletes, he likewise underplayed his role as the campaign gained momentum.
“Jim, I think it’ll be a reality,” Alex Smith, vice-president for development told him early that fall. “Oh, my gosh. You’ll take away all my excuses,” said Hickey with a self-deprecating chuckle.
A South Boston native, Hickey was a standout football player and sprinter at Halifax County High and W&L and has never stopped exercising. When he talks to his athletes about work ethic, the importance of conditioning, and commitment to excellence, they need look no farther than their coach for a role model.
“I was fortunate to have Jim as a track and football coach and always found him very inspirational,” said George Whitley ’71 , now a successful Richmond attorney. “That’s particularly so since he was in such great shape and could run faster and longer than any of us. He was always enthusiastic, always committed to the track program. As a coach, he was everything you could ask for, and he’s totally without ego, bless his heart.”
In the initial solicitation literature, Smith prominently displayed a picture of Hickey in a green and gold windbreaker and well-worn Collegiate Track hat. He did so without asking Hickey’s permission. He knew what the answer would be. Some things, you just do.
“I’m surprised my picture wasn’t a liability,” said Hickey with his familiar grin. Then, he became serious for a moment. “Certainly, I’m not the only coach that’s worked here over the last 35 years,” he added. “I accept this on behalf of all the other coaches and athletes. Really, it’s the total program.”
