Steinke gets teary-eyed

Coach Jim Steinke had a hard time saying good-bye after he looked back Tuesday evening on this spring's girls track season -- and remembered 30 other years of track and field teams at McCook Senior High.

Steinke retired this spring after 31 years as art teacher at the high school and after as many years as a track and cross country coach.

Choking on his words and trying to will away imminent tears, Coach Steinke honored his assistant coach, Steve Clapp. "We've been together since '78," Steinke said. "He is my right hand, and my left hand."

"Thanks for the memories," Steinke told Clapp.

Steinke also honored assistant coach and statistician George Briggs and the newest member of the MHS track team, assistant coach Kristen Kudrna. Steinke thanked Briggs and Kudrna for their commitment and dedication to MHS girls track and field.

Turning the tables, Clapp presented Steinke with a plaque, and senior team members Shannon Moore and Kristi Corder presented him with a jacket and a personalized red-and-white memory quilt from track team members and the school's athletics department.

Steinke presented letter certificates to his athletes, and honored the team's top eight scorers:

1. Michelle Gaunt; 2. Maggie Jones; 3. Katherine Morell; 4. Jillian Bryant; 5. Lisa Friehe; 6. Heather Goff; 7. Sunee Haney; and 8. Amanda Bennett.

Steinke also honored Friehe, who set a new school record in the discus at 129 feet 9 inches; and Haney, who set a new record in pole vault, at 10 feet, 2 inches.

Steinke's team spirit award went to Gaunt and Goff; his "most improved" award to Courtney Moore and Bennett.

Steinke presented the team's "hard luck" award to Melissa Ankersen.

"Most Valuable Athlete" awards went to Gaunt, Jones and Morell; and "Rookie" awards went to Bryant, Megan Ecker and Kayla Wilson.

"Gatorade" awards were presented to Bryant, "Rookie of the Year"; Morell, "Will to Win"; and Gaunt, "Player of the Year."

Four athletes were recognized by the Greater Nebraska Activities Conference as "All-Academic Team" members: Kayla Sanders, Shannon Moore, Friehe and Corder.

Coach Clapp presented medals to athletes who met their improvement goals: Gaunt in long jump; Jones in the 400; Morell, triple jump and 200; Goff, 200; and Ankersen and Bryant, triple jump.

Coach Kudrna congratulated athletes who established new personal records:

Corder in the 100 meter hurdles; Shannon Moore, Bennett and Carter in the 300 meter hurdles; and Courtney Moore in the high jump.

Coach Briggs passed out "PR Candy," to his throwers. "We had a fantastic districts," Briggs said, handing out candy to Liz Banda, Kim Miller, Wilson and Friehe.

Steinke also presented certificates and medals to three managers, Laura Kohmetscher, Tiffany Jones and Julianna Matson, encouraging each to return to help the team again next year.

Steinke told his student-athletics and their families he would return next year to help coach.

He promised the freshmen, "I will come back to torment you." Steinke chuckled, "I'll be hanging around, like the sandburs around the long jump pit."