Another year of Louisiana high school track and field in the books! It was year number No. 5 me as state editor of MileSplit Louisiana. It just seems to keep getting better and better. Doesn't it?
I want to take a minute to thank the athletes, coaches, officials, and parents for everything.
Athletes, thank you for being gracious in allowing me to stick a cellphone in your face even when some of you are still struggling to catch your breath after a race. Some of you are so nice as to not say anything when I get something wrong or even mispronounce your name. In the future, correct me...after all, it is your interview.
To the coaches, thank you for the work that you put in every year to help your athletes reach their potential. Thank you for seeing the big picture and using track and field as an avenue to help young people learn valuable life lessons like teamwork, goalsetting, overcoming adversity, and giving everything they have for a worthy cause.
For those coaches who took time out of your evening to join me on a Zoom interview for our Coaches Conversation feature, thank you!
For most every new high school coach I meet, I come away thinking that the track and field athletes in Louisiana are in great hands of adults who care about the kids and are committed to helping them achieve their goals.
The track and field officials we have in Louisiana are incredible, aren't they? The 2026 LHSAA State Outdoor Track and Field Championships were proof enough of that. Organizing a state championship is incredibly difficult, but when you add torrential rain over multiple days...it's nothing short of amazing what the LHSAA and the LSU Track & Field Association accomplished last month.
Think about this...we had a huge garbage can that was floating on the track at Bernie Moore Stadium. Floating! Kudos to LHSAA Assistant Commissioner Adam McDowell and the LSU Track and Field Official's Association for their Herculean efforts.
But it's not just about the LHSAA and LSU Track and Field Association. There are meet directors, finish line judges, event judges, and timers in every corner of the state who bust their tail, and battle the conditions week in and week out in order for track meets across the state to be run smoothly.
Last, but not least, I want to thank the parents and relatives who raise the young people in our sport to be the incredible young people they are.
I also want to thank the parents for the emails...even when they call me out on something I've written. Or something I haven't written. They are passionate about their child and the sport. That is something we have in common.
Next week, I will have some final thoughts on the 2026 track and field season. Until then, thank you for your part is making the 2026 Louisiana high school track and field season one to remember.