Homecoming

It was Homecoming yesterday in University Park and the football team dominated poor ole UMass in what I consider a little bit of overkill.  But what do I know? I admit I don't keep up with things anymore, and never watch any pre-game or post-game blather.  I also turn the sound off,  so because of Penn State's glorious no-name uniforms, I don't know any of the players names unless there are graphics involved on the screen.

Football Alumni make up the largest sports alumni group at Penn State Athletics. I would bet their active numbers are higher than 75%.  The second largest sports alumni group is Penn State Track and Field/Cross Country.  With all the work Clark Haley and others have done for 21 years now, we reach less than 20% of the total number.  Rather disappointing , to say the least. We continue to work to get those numbers higher.

So, it is heartwarming to hear from new members.  And when we do, I try to highlight them. This example is especially cool because it points out that Clark truly is a Leader.  Thanks, Clark!

 

Hello!

My name is Tom Williams, and I was on the XC and T&F teams back in '81-82. (I am in the back row of the attached team pic)

Among my great regrets in life, one has been not being more connected to the team back in the day and moving forward.  I arrived at PSU with total anonymity and left the same.  To his great credit (and somewhat out of character in those days), Coach Groves let me walk on.  I was not a D-1 athlete.  I knew it, and Coach Groves knew it.  However, I knew I wanted a Penn State education, I knew I loved the sport, and I knew that one day I wanted to coach.  Coach Groves gave me more than my share of verbal smacks along the way, and like many stupid 19 year olds, I assumed he hated me.

Fast forward to 2008--a big leap.  See the other attached pic.  While at a conference in Eugene, I found out there was a track meet at Hayward Field.  Attendance was a no-brainer.  When I went, I found out the US Jr National Team was participating and one of the coaches...was Harry Groves.

I found Coach, and perhaps thankfully he did not remember me.  But as he put it "there are a lot of people I don't remember any more."

And then something remarkable happened.  I mentioned that I was a coach, and Harry lit up.

Coach Groves shared that he had been trying to keep a list of all of "his guys" who went on to become coaches.  Suddenly I wasn't the scrub walk-on.  Suddenly I was someone Harry wanted to get on his list.  It was awesome.  Not the same guy who scared me to death my freshman year!

Back then I rarely had a camera with me, and even when I did I seldom took any pictures.  Thankfully, I got a picture which now means a lot to me.  Me and Harry at Hayward Field.

So, to guys like Clark Haley and everyone else on that '81 XC team...I wish I had been a better teammate and friend, but make no mistake, it was one of the most memorable years of my life.

 

 

2nd quick story...

Being a scrub, I also errantly assumed other guys on the team looked down on me, and certainly no scholarship guys would even know my name.

Then about 10 years later I was helping out at the runners' expo for the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta.  This guy--who looked familiar--came up with a huge smile and said "Tom!  How are you doing, man?"  It was Clark Haley.  He acted like I was a long lost brother, which I guess I was without realizing it.

I have had lots of interactions over the years with my buddy Mark Heckel, who didn't believe I ran at PSU until he checked the team track photo.  :-)   Both there at the same time, but throwers lived on a different planet.

 

We are everywhere!

Including along the Danube River.   Mark Heckel, our Director of Security, has been touring all of Europe for the past 45 months (or so it seems to me).  He met up with Brian Boyer (our Official Physicist and soon-to-be ex-European Liaison).  Brian will be moving back to State College in the coming week, where Mark will be able to visit him often (including at our next Reunion and Golf Tourney!).

Incredible usage of the Alumni Jersey!

Gunny Was a Remarkable Man

 It is with sadness that I report the passing of Roger "Gunny" Roll.  It is hard to describe Gunny in just words, but here are a few items I find interesting...

• He was Coach Groves' best friend for many years.  Years that were difficult for him.
• He would take 10 mile runs with the team in my early years.  Teams that were in the top-4 in the Division I NCAA XC. I probably couldn't do that 1 year after graduation!
  
• He had more than 1 Purple Heart from Vietnam.  I think the number was three, but really "just 1" would garner my greatest respect.
• He taught me many things in those days, sometimes in words, and sometimes by just watching how he interacted with the world around him.
• I never heard him say a negative thing about anyone.  
• He was a long-time Official for NCAA meets in both XC and Track and Field.

Never had an interaction with him that wasn't positive.  RIP  (Thanks to Mark Heckel for the photo and the word on the news.)

 We have lost all 3 of these giants of PSU Track Alumni (Golfers) in the last several years.

Mark "Beef" Heckel Knows Everybody!

 Another Silver Medal performance for Joe Kovacs at the World Championships.  Not bad if you consider that his competition is simply by far the best shot putter in world history.

The USA sweep in the shot put with Ryan Crouser and Josh Awotunde taking Gold and Bronze.

Mark even ran into 1977 teammate of our's Gary Williky.

Lions At The Top Of The Worlds

Larry Mangan, Phil Monastra and Joe Kovacs join Mark Heckel in Eugene! Joe is in the SP final tomorrow. 

Mark Heckel Still At The Top Of His Game

 Mark Heckel has been voted as the recipient of the Horace Crow Award as the Outstanding Field Event Official for 2021 from the USATF National Officials Committee.

As a teammate and dorm mate of "Beef", as we knew him, for 2 years at North Halls at PSU, I can say that he is among those I visualize first when I say that PSU Track Alums are the most interesting, intelligent and accomplished people I have ever known.  With Mark, I will add driven.

Congratulations Mark, although I still don't know if you can golf!

 

Half-way Update: The Interns Again Bring Us The Nittany Lion Finishes At The USATF Olympic Trials

 

Remember, this is only the finishes of athletes that have completed their competitions on Sunday and Monday.  See here for earlier results.

Mens Hammer: 

(12)  Morgan Shigo       3 x Foul in Finals    (74.39M, 244'0" in Prelims.)

Womens 100H:

17)  Evonne Britton        12.95 in Semi-Finals

Womens 3000M Steeplechase:

31)  Tori Gerlach      10:25.39 

Mens Javelin:

           2)     Michael Shuey     79.24M  260'0"   Olympian

Mens 800M:

           4)     Isaiah Harris       1:44.58

           5)     Brannon Kidder     1:45.08

Mark "Beef" Heckel with newest Nittany Lion Olympian Michael Shuey.

 

Despite not getting everything perfectly correct, as some of the Administrators here might (present company excluded), I have rewarded the Interns with 2 days off and a $10 Applebee's gift card.  I will hose out their basement when they are gone.

NCAA 2021 Outdoor Finalists

 The Nittany Lions will have 7 representatives at the upcoming championships at the renovated Hayward Field.  A modicum of attendees will be there.  Mark "Beef" Heckel, Blue Band Captain, Track Alumni (Golfer) and heralded Throws Official may throw us a bone or two when not busy!

21  Evan Dorenkamp   FR 800M           1:49.11 

 4  David Lucas     SR Discus          60.77m 

12  Tyler Merkley  SO Hammer          67.47m 

13  Mark Porter  JR Javelin         70.22m  

20  Noah Swaby    SO Decathlon         7517 

11  Danae Rivers   SR 1500M          4:12.81 

7  Madeline Nickal (Holmberg) SR Heptathlon        5839  

And don't forget to get your entries in for this year's Reunion.  You can do it the old fashioned way by sending the monies in to Harry Smith or to me via PayPal on the top of  the full web site!  Not available yet on the handheld site or via the Facebook Page.  The Interns will get around to it.

Another Award For A Penn State Track And Field Alum!

Fellow Holmes Hall 2nd floor resident in 1978-1979, Mark Heckel was recently awarded for his service as one of America's finest Track and Field Officials by USATF.  I cannot think of a more wonderful man to receive recognition of this sort.  Intelligent, friendly, accomplished and always smiling is how I remember him.  His Official duties have kept him away from many of our Reunions, but he is never far away from our thoughts.  Well done, Mark!

Is This All That Kept Joe From Gold?

I don't think so, but there are some with considerable knowledge who say so.

Did Joe Kovac's foot touch the top of the board?  Joe didn't think so at the time and was quite vociferous about it to the judge seated next to the circle.  The mark wasn't measured when the red flag went up and the appeal was denied.  The throw was certainly past the 22 meter mark, but was it enough to pass Ryan Clouser's 73' 10.75" toss?  When I saw it, I didn't think so, but others with more knowledge say it might have been.

Let's hope our resident Throws Expert Official and Director of Security Mark Heckel will chime in and put some knowledge on us!

Here's Mark Heckel's Verdict:

 From this single photo, it's hard to determine of this a foul or not. My personal preference is to see it as a no-call, since there is nothing conclusive that this is a foul. From this angle, and remember there was probably another official on the other side, there is nothing to indicate that he was on top of the board. My general rule is that if the sole of the shoe does not crease or bend, then there was not weight on the top of the board, hence there is no contact. We are always sure to tell each other "if you think you saw something, then you saw nothing." I find it difficult for someone to be able to say, CONCLUSIVELY, that this was a foul when judged at full speed. Sadly, the same can be said for the appeal - there just wan't enough evidence to overturn the call, so it stands as a foul. Very questionable call by the officials, and should have been a no-call. BTW, a similar thing happened to Kibwe Johnson in the hammer. Some of the officiating was a bit suspect.

Thanks Mark!

Who Knew That Beef Was A Physicist In Addition To A Hammer Thrower And A Blue Band Captain?

Mark "Beef" Heckel was our Hammer Thrower back in the olden days of the late 70s and early 80s.  But he was also a great student and a Blue Band Section Leader.  And now he is a top-notch Field Official on the National scene.

But apparently he was also better at Physics than I was!

How To Get The Gold In Hammer Throw

One of his many hats!

Another Alumni Singlet At Hayward Field?

Actually Isaiah Harris wore his Throwback singlet, which closely resembles our very own Alumni Singlets.  That wasn't by chance either.  Coach Gondak or Isaiah himself decided to give all of us a hat-tip, I'm sure!  And Isaiah still was wearing his blue wristband we presented to him at the Reunion.

The Finals of the Olympic Trials 800M showcased 2 Nittany Lions yesterday, with Casimir Loxsom joining Isaiah with Olympic team spots on the line.

Casimir and Isaiah both seemed nicely placed after the first lap, but Casimir never found another gear and finished 9th overall.  Isaiah hung on and was still in third place with 50 meters to go, but just didn't have quite enough to finish it off. The only NCAA athlete One of only two NCAA athletes in the field showed just how long the college season(s) is (are).  Still, a 6th place finish by a college Freshman (Sophomore-to-be) is really a nice highlight to the season.

All pics from Mark Beef Heckel.

Alumni Singlet Spotted At Tracktown USA!

There are more than 200 Alumni Singlets and Alumni T-Shirts out there in the wilds. This one happens to belong to Olympic Trials Official Mark Heckel.  Mark's credentials for our group are many and varied and there is the newest one to add!

Even Pre would have bought one!

In order to thank him for his consideration of us he has been made an Idiot Officer!  His official title will be Chairman of Weights and Measures.  Congrats to Mark for the honor.  Remember to add it to your CV.  (Salaries are figured and distributed Quarterly and have been averaging $0 for the last 32 Quarters.)

The next sale of Alumni Singlets and T-Shirts will occur this Fall.  Alert your friends, especially those recent graduates who have yet to find their way to our blog.  Mark Hawkins has done yeoman's work for years now in helping bring us these keepsakes.  Everyone needs one of each!

And the first sale of our Kelly's Store is complete.  Those who purchased jackets or backpacks should be receiving them now.  Please visit the Facebook site and let us know what you think of them and what items we should include in the next Fall sale!!!

This Doesn't Mean Penn State Will Have 20 Olympians This Year!

But 2 on the first day of 10 is rather great, isn't it?

It certainly is a rare day when news that 3 Nittany Lions made the 16 man Semi-Finals of the 800M Olympic Trials (later today!) isn't enough for a PSU is 800U headline.

•  Isaiah Harris - winner heat 3   (53.37)  1:47.60 
• Brannon Kidder - 3rd heat 2    (52.86)   1:46.22
• Casimir Loxsom - 2nd heat 3   (53:06)   1:47.76

And this doesn't rise to the level high enough to warrant a headline! Because PSU nearly dominated the Shot Put Finals. Those formerly affiliated with PSU finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th!!

• Joe Kovacs - 2nd     (21.95)   72' 1/4" Olympian!
• Darrell Hill - 3rd      (21.63)  70' 11"   Olympian!
• Ryan Whiting - 4th  (20.89)  69' 6 1/2"  (former assistant coach)
• with my contemporary PSU thrower Mark Heckel ringside as an Official!

Some pics stolen from many sources...

Joe Kovacs.

Isaiah Harris, Brannon Kidder.

Pic from Mark Horton.

Passion from Big Homie!

Brannon Kidder's first appearance for Brooks Beasts.

Darrell Hill, Coach Art Venegas and Joe Kovacs.

Podium pic with winner Ryan Crouser.

Power, grace, humility, finesse and a Lion's roar!

It's Olympic Trials Starting Today

We have another insider at the Trials this year.  Mark "Beef" Heckel is there as a Field Official and will be allowing us use of his pics to spread to our audience.  He has the pleasure of hanging around with PSU's Big Men at the Shot Put.  What the heck, let's have all three make the team!

• Joe Kovacs
• Darrell Hill
• Ryan Whiting (former assistant coach)

Big Homie

Joe Kovacs

Some Extras From the Past Weekend's Meets Sent My Way

Beef Cubed

 Field Official Extraordinaire Mark "Beef" Heckel rounded up a few PSU Alums following the Adidas Diamond League Meet in NYC. That's winner of the Shot Put Joe Kovacs and Phil Monastra.

Cas Loxsom 1500M PR!

Casimir Loxsom did not run the 800 nor the 600, but opted instead for the 1500M at the Portland Meet.  Evan Jager may have lit up the crowd with his 4-second PR in 3:32.97, but Cas also set his PR by 4 seconds!  3:45.23  It must be nice to start a taper from 1500M prior to the USATF Championships where he will be in the mix for the 800M.

Video Distance Measurement (VDM) Testing With Mark Heckel At The World Junior Championships

USATF Field Official Mark Heckel

First...

Just woke up a few minutes ago to the sound of . . . ducks! Today is "test meet" day at the World Junior Championships here at Oregon. WE had an interesting walk through with the Seiko folks yesterday, especially with our first look at video distance measurement.
The premise is quite simple - two high speed (7 frames per second) high definition cameras are focused on the pit and calibrated. As the jumper leaves the board, they perform their own capture sequence. The software picks the most likely landing frame from all the frames it collects, and the images are displayed side-by-side. You then place a cursor, that has a superimposed line that indicates where it is parallel to the take-off board, at the landing point in the sand, on each view. The distance is then computed.
What's really cool is that this can all be done from the top of the stands! We will be situated some 30-40 meters from the pit, at the top of Hayward field, and the cameras capturing the images will be BEHIND us. You can zoom in to get the exact location of the landing as well. There is no reflector in the pit, no marker at all in the pit. It will be interesting to see it in action today.
I'm looking forward to working with our crew and getting to see this new way for us to do electronic measurement. Video and a new training will be forthcoming.

Then...

Well, the test meet yesterday went OK (as test meets go, I guess), but today, when we had to put things into action, it was REALLY interesting.
The VDM method for measurement is REALLY exciting! I have to tell you that we had no issues with using it, and in the decathlon long jump (with 17 competitors in my pit), we had a very easy day. There were a few times when I wanted to look at the before and after images, and to see the changes in the surface of the landing area, from a distance of about 35-40 meters, and see them better than you could with the naked eye - was incredible.
I will post some video later, but the clarity and the speed at which we not only got the images, but how quickly they were measured, was even more impressive that I thought it would be. I didn't clock it today, but i will tomorrow morning. I'm really curious to see how quick we are between jumps.
The other aspect of using the VDM is that each jump is recorded. At 7 frames per second, starting with approximately the take-off from the board and ending about +2 seconds after the athlete lands, really allows you to see the changes in the surface, and to get the most accurate mark - perhaps too accurate, since you can togle the images back and forth to look for even the slightest changes in the landing surface.
The groomers on both pits did a great job, keeping the surface almost drag smooth. We found that if they raked and brushed parallel to the scratch line, we could get very good, clear images of the landing and the changes in the surface.
By using radio communication between ourselves, the pit boss and the athlete control judge (i.e. flight coordinator), we were able to keep things moving, and clear from clutter. In reailty, one could perhaps conduct the vent with as few as 5 officials - 2 in the landing ares to groom, a board judge, a timing/wind gauge judge, and the athlete control judge. But, don't be scared - I'm not advocating taking away positions! You still need your plasticine folks, and a chief free to handle issues that come up.
It was a bit different not seeing anyone in the landing area with a stick or reflector, and to only see the board judge raise a flag and place and remove a cone, but I thought these things made the competition better to watch.

Here is a short (< 7 minutes) video that is a raw explanation of the VDM (video distance measurement) technology being used at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championship in Eugene. I will be producing a better version, under the TFO Training Associates label, when I get home. For now, view and enjoy!

 

A Family Affair

Not only is Mark Heckel the President of our USATF Mid-Atlantic Track and Field Club, but he is one of the pre-eminent Track and Field Officials in the nation.  And it looks like the acorns didn't fall far from the tree!  Sons Kade and Kreg are following Mark into the wonderful world that is Track and Field Officiating. Here, they all appear for the first time together at the Diamond League Meet in New York.  I've sung Mark's praises before, but I'll point out again that he combines every virtue a PSU Track Alumni (Golfer) could aspire to.

Mark Heckel, Kade Heckel and Kreg Heckel.

An Inside Look at Day One of the Big Ten Championships From Mark Heckel

Brannon Kidder, Za'Von Walkins, Brandon Bennett-Green, Ryan Brennan and Coach Gondak.

When I ask Mark Heckel to jot down a few notes (or contribute the recent obit for a PSU great!), he comes through like the true champion he is.  He posted this in our Facebook site and I am cross posting it here for a bigger audience.

Getting to serve as the field referee at a major championship, you are kept busy with many things. I didn't get a chance to see much on the track today, but I did get to see a lot of the field events. Here's what I observed . . . .

It was a spirited day at the first day of the Big 10 Indoor championships at the SPIRE Institute. While I will not bore you with results and stats (you can find that on-line), I wanted to give you all a sense of the meet atmosphere.

State was definitely in the thick of the meet, with some great performances on both sides of the ledger. Our future alumni ran, jumped and threw well, setting up what should be a good day 2 in a few hours.

I would have to say (and yes, it is a bit biased) that Penn State had the best, most consistent, most vocal, most involved cheering section all day. The cheering, chanting and support for their fellow athletes was great, with more than just a few "WE ARE . . ."chants echoing through the facility. The teams were energized and excited, from the opening of the multi's to the end of the women's LJ. It was a good day to be a Nittany Lion.

I did get to see parts of the men's DMR, and it was a much more tactical race than I think anyone thought it would be. Illinois lead early, but State stayed in the race, eventually pulling away to win. I saw the later half of the finals of the women's shot, and all three of our finalists competed well.

Brittany Howell finished a single point out of bronze in the Pentathlon, with Tal Ben-Artzi 6th. Robert Cardina sits in 4th in the men's heptathlon after day one, a scant 29 points out of the bronze, and fewer than 60 points from silver. I liked his performance in the HJ, and if he can have a good day today, will definitely be in the hunt for some hardware.

In other finals, the seeded section of the 3000 belonged to State's Tori Gerlach by 2 seconds; the womens' DMR was 9th; Lexi Masterson picked 1/2 point in the women's PV; Brian Leap (7th) and Sgeve Waithe (8th) combined for 3 points in the men's LJ; Rachel Fatherly (4th), Melissa Kurzdorfer (5th) and Alyssa Robinson (8th) combined for 10 team points in the women's SP; and Darrell Hill grabbed 6th in the men's SP.

Advancers to today's finals include: Marta Klebe (mile), Robby Creese and Wade Endress (mile), Kiah Seymour and Dynasty McGee (400), Bernard Bennett-Green and Byron Robinson (400 - Brandon Bennett-Green the first man out by .01!), Mahogony Jones (60), Klebe (800), Brandon Kidder, Ryan Brennan and Za'Von Watkins (800), Evonne Britton and Howell (60 hurdles - Shelley Black the first woman out by .01), Jones and Seymour (200 with the #1 and #2 qualifying times).

The most interesting event for me today will definitely be the men's weight throw. 6 of the top 10 weight throwers in the nation are entered, with Will Barr representing the Lions. It should a great competition, only a little more than 3 feet separate the top 6 on the performance list.

Hopefully, I can write more tomorrow, if I can get home before the "snowmageddon" on Sunday!

RIP Colonel Gerald Russel

I can add little of import here except my observation that those in our group, Penn State Track and Field Alumni (Golfers), are some of the world's best people.  The most intelligent, interesting and accomplished people I have ever met. This post is by Mark Heckel, who I am honored to call a friend. He wrote this after a request from me, because I knew he could do much more than I ever could.  Eventually Mark may even golf with us!   If you didn’t know who he was, he looked like another track official who had
been around since the start of track and field. His TAC/USATF ID would tell you
that he was a master official, and his membership was in the double digits . . .
dating back almost the beginning of the AAU.
He never talked about himself much, and he never revealed much about his
background. He was just a guy who loved track and field, and was always
recruiting folks to help him out with Special Olympics in the summer. He asked
quietly, but lead by example. He loved Penn State, and was never ashamed to show
it.
He was a quiet hero, tested by war at Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. He earned a
chest full of medals, including a Purple Heart with two gold stars, and a Bronze
Star with a “V” for valor, the third highest award for valor a soldier can earn.
He was a deep blue war hero, but to those of us fortunate enough to know and
work with him, he was Gerry or The Colonel.
I got to know him over a number of years, and as I learned more about the man, I
grew to have a deep honor and respect for him, and for what he stood for. He
wanted nothing but the best for everyone he knew, whether on or off the track.
Each year, he would put on his tux and work the finish line at the Millrose
Games, as much a fixture there as he was at Penn State meets. He was also a
constant at Penn Relays, a friendly and familiar face in a sea of humanity.
He came to Penn State at the invitation of Dr. Ralph Rackley, the Provost and
fellow Marine. He wrote speeches for John Oswald while also being Assistant
Secretary to the Board of Trustees. He was an assistant professor and assistant
to the Dean of HPER, and eventually became associate Dean. Leadership was in his
makeup, and helping others to achieve was in his soul.
Gerry never talked about his military career. I only found about the true depth
of the soldier when we were having lunch one day at an indoor meet. It was just
the two of us, and I hesitantly asked him about his military background. He was
reluctant to share at first, but then like a kindly parent, he quietly told me
about Iwo Jima. I don’t know that I have ever listened any more intently or
respectfully to anyone in my life.
One year, Penn State chose to recognize two or three officials at each indoor
meet. They would print a short biography, along with a picture of the official,
and make a small recognition of their contributions to Penn State track and
field. We were coming down to the final meet of the indoor season, and there
were only two officials left to be recognized – The Colonel and me.
To say that I was honored to be recognized with Gerry would be gross
understatement. To say that I was humbled to be in the presence, and be able to
proudly stand next to him that day would be far more accurate. Compared to him,
I was a novice and little boy. It was one of the most incredible moments I’ve
had as an official, and as a Penn Stater.
Colonel Russell was cut from a cloth that rarely exists anymore. He was a
leader, a commander of men some of whom he knew would never come back. He was an
inspiration, getting his fellow Marines to come to State College to help out
with Special Olympics. He was a dedicated patriot, showing all of us that the
good of the many was more important that the good of the one. He was a friend
who wanted you to be better, and was there to help you achieve it.
His burial will be in Arlington, a place where heroes rest. The Old Guard will
treat him well, but I would give anything to be able to salute my friend one
last time by playing taps for him. It would just seem the right thing to do.
Good-bye Gerry. Semper Fi!
Mark Heckel, M.Ed.
Instructional Designer
Penn State Student Affairs
222N Boucke Building
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA, 16802
Office: 814.863.7800