Ashley Lowery

When former Lampasas High School head track coach Gordon Pynes left for Atlanta High School after the 1986 season, the summer track program he spent half a decade growing started to wither.

The Blue Blazes stopped carrying their moniker, and the number of athletes who chose to sacrifice precious summ er-vacation time dwindled.

In the fall of 1989, Trent Lancaster took the head track and cross country post at LHS. The following summer he did not rest. Nor has he rested any summer since.

After watching his daughter Chelsea's progress under Pynes in the summers of 1984-86 result in two trips to the Summer Nationals, he wasn't about to let the summer program die.

Lancaster put an emphasis on reestablishing the Blue Blazes nickname - and the sense of togetherness something so simple can inspire - by ordering uniforms with lightning bolts and asking participating athletes to get serious about their summer workouts.

Today and Saturday, Lancaster will watch his 19th Blue Blazes team compete in the Texas Amateur Athletics Federation Region V Qualifier Meet at Temple High School.

Athletes who finish in the top three in each event qualify for the Games of Texas July 24-27.

"Obviously, I want to have some state qualifiers," Lancaster said. "But even if we don't have any, if each of them competes to the best of their abilities, I'll be satisfied with their performance."

Lancaster said any of his athletes could qualify with an outstanding performance, but his best bets based on past performance and potential competition are: Cody Crofoot in the 300 hurdles or discus, Frank James in the discus, Ashley Lowery in the 100 hurdles, Presley Peters in the 80 hurdles or long jump and hurdler Caitlyn Shaugnessy.

The Blue Blazes have produced three national-meet qualifiers Lancaster could remember. His daughter Chelsea did it twice, heptathlete and high jumper Connie Rosado did it twice and current LHS sophomore Tyler Phelan did it in middle school.

But Lancaster doesn't think summer track athletes should be judged simply by results or by what level of competition they advance to. Those tangible measurements are important, no doubt, but perhaps more important is something more abstract.

"It gives them a work ethic," the coach said.

"It's usually hot and miserable, and the meets can drag on all day. They also get to compete against top-notch kids, but the most important thing is that it helps instill a work ethic and a sense of dedication they might not otherwise get."

Of course, those tangible gains don't bother Lancaster. The extra repetitions athletes garner in the summer often carry over into high school athletics in the fall and spring.

"They learn technique," he said.

The athletes aren't the only ones who learn. Lancaster discovers not only what his athletes can and can't do physically, but he also discovers who they are as people.

"I've watched this thing evolve over the years..." he said.

"I've had the chance to get close to several of these summer track kids, a chance to get close to some of their parents. Those days get long and hot, and you can really get to know people. It takes away from your free time in the summer, but I think it's critical for the success of my (LHS) track program."

Blue Blazes Track Team

Edward Grant
Robbie Hall
Presley Peters
Felipe Valles
Collin Bowen
Kelby Jones
Dustin Bruce
Hope Moseley
Blake Graham
Caitlyn Shaughnessy
Ashley Lowery
Mason Morris
John Cole Vann
Alyssa Dickens
Courtney Hess
Kaleb Hess
Hayden Moseley
Cody Crofoot
Michael January
Joshua Barbero
Frank James
 

Note: Roster submitted by Blue Blazes coach Trent Lancaster.