COACHING NEWS

By BUDDY HURLOCK
09/21/2002

Just because Jim Blades left Lake Forest High over the summer, it doesn't mean he left the Lake Forest Invitational.

The 45th annual edition is today at Killens State Park in Felton. The first high school varsity race is at 10 a.m.

Now athletic director at St. Thomas More in Magnolia, Blades had been the Lake AD. He also stepped down after long stints as the school's coach in track and field and, since 1971, cross country.

Blades did not want what has become the state's first noteworthy meet of the year to fall apart. He's also going to continue to run the Burgess Invitational, run at Lake Forest each track season.

"The two events are close to my heart and I don't want anything to happen to them. I'm not going to let them disappear if I can help it," Blades said.

Today's 36-school field draws beyond Delaware state lines. But how Delaware teams finish will be of chief interest.

Not only will teams see where they stand, but the state meet this year is on the same 3.1-mile course on Nov. 9.

"It's the opening invitational for Delaware. Most of the teams go there. And when it's the site of the state championship, that gives it a special sense of importance," Salesianum coach Ralph Heiss said.

The high school races are split into 'A' (larger enrollment) and 'B' divisions.

The Girls A race is first today followed by Girls B (10:25 a.m.), Boys A (10:50) and Boys B (11:15).

The invitational also includes junior varsity and eighth-grade races.

Smyrna to dedicate new course

When Smyrna High coach Ron Powell died in June 2001, he was in the process of carving out a new home course for the Eagles on the grounds at St. Joseph's at Providence Creek, an expansive recreation and community service facility less than a mile from the school.

Two years later, behind the team's runners, their parents and others, the 3.1-mile course is complete and will be dedicated in Powell's honor before Monday's 4 p.m. tri-meet against Caravel and St. Thomas More.

Powell graduated from Smyrna in 1964 and was cross country coach for seven seasons. He also led the Eagles in baseball, basketball and track, and was the public address announcer for home football games.

"He was well-respected in the community and the idea was the finish the course. It would have been a shame to let it stay unfinished," said Chuck Taylor, the grounds' director.

The course is spectator friendly and will take runners past a lake and over a wooden footbridge.

It will also test them through woods and over several hills. The course allows the Eagles to focus different practices on specific terrains.

"He [Powell] loved to run and really tried to bring cross country to a place of not being an afterthought at Smyrna," athletic director James Kiger said.