Vidinha track to
get upgrade
A 25-year effort by Kauai County to modernize the track at Vidinha Stadium will be realized this winter when construction on a new track and field facility begins, Mayor Bryan Baptiste said Tuesday.
The improvements, scheduled for completion in March, will mean Kauai will be able to host statewide track meets for the first time in decades. The island used to be a regular venue for track and field competition, but Vidinha's cinder track is so out of date that state records no longer can be set there.
Kauai is the only county without a rubberized track. Most of the other rubberized tracks in Hawaii are owned and operated by either public or private schools. But Kauai, traditionally, has provided the athletic facilities used by the state Department of Education.
The most important upgrade will be the rubber surface. It will be all-weather. The existing compacted cinder prohibits the use of the track during periods of rainfall.
"The kids will be able to run faster, that's for sure," Baptiste said.
In addition to a rubber surface, the track will be changed to 400 meters from its existing 440 yards. Times on metric tracks are the only ones considered for records.
The "D" areas at both ends of the new track will be graded to allow field-event platforms for the high jump, long jump, pole vault and shot put.
The price tag on the project is $1.2 million, with the cost being shared equally by the county, state and federal governments.
Baptiste noted the state share of the funding has been approved several times in the past by the Legislature, but Gov. Linda Lingle is the first governor to authorize the spending of the money.
Invitational coming: The Oahu Interscholastic Association is holding a cross country meet Sept. 11, and schools from all leagues in the state are invited to participate.
Intermediate, junior varsity and varsity athletes will be asked to pledge $10, and all proceeds go to the Lanakila Rehabilitation Center.
The National Federation of State High School Associations is sponsoring the event at Central Oahu Regional Park.
New coaches: Kamehameha-Big Island hired Tom Chun and Joel Truesdell as its cross country coaches.
Chun is the boys coach and Truesdell is the girls coach.
Chun coached Radford to seven boys and four girls state championships in the 1970s and '80s.
Truesdell, who will be assisted by his wife, Elizabeth Truesdell, coached Kamehameha-Oahu for the past seven years. His Warrior teams finished second at the states four times.
Coaches clinic: Veteran basketball mentors are lined up for a coaches clinic at Damien Memorial on Sept. 25 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
New University of Hawaii women's coach Jim Bolla and UH men's assistant Bob Burke are among the instructors offering their ideas, drills and coaching methods.
New Hawaii Pacific basketball coach and athletic director J.D. Barnett, Chaminade coach Aaron Griess, longtime junior college coach Howie Landa and Oahu hoops official Lloyd Hisaka are also teaching at the clinic.
For more information, call Chic Hess at 263-3310.
