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Newland sparks warm memories By Don Hunt Some of Burt Williams� fondest memories while growing up in Medford are of his track and field experiences at Medford High. Williams, the team�s top sprinter as a junior and senior, helped the Black Tornado to state championships in 1952, �53 and �54.But while Williams brought home enough blue ribbons to decorate each of his bedroom walls, his warmest recollections from those days come from his coach, Bob Newland. The second annual Bob Newland Track and Field Invitational kicks off at South Medford High today at 4 p.m., and the man holding the starting gun will be none other than Williams. He�ll drive up from his home near Redding, Calif., and stand on the track where he once starred. When he�s not lining up the runners and firing his starter�s gun, he�ll undoubtedly hark back to when he and his Medford High teammates � thanks largely to Newland � ruled the state. Newland�s teams won nine state titles over a 10-year period ending in 1957."The thing I remember most about Bob Newland was his rapport with the athletes," says Williams, 65, who became a teacher and track coach himself before retiring last year. "He could take almost anyone out of the hallways and turn them into something special. "He always saw the good in every kid, and that�s what he focused on." Newland recruited many of his athletes during study hall, Williams says. "He was an easy guy to talk to," Williams says. "He had a sincere interest in how you were doing in school and how your life was going, and he�d always ask about what your parents were doing. "Then he might slip in something about how you could help the track team, and before long you were at practice. "But it was a great experience." Newland was ahead of his time as a track coach, acquiring much of his knowledge from the legendary Bill Bowerman, who preceded him as coach at Medford and then went on to a distinguished career at the University of Oregon. But Newland was also a tireless worker. Not only did he often stay late to help any kid that needed it, he often could be found in shop class making starting blocks for the sprinters or dragging the old cinder track with a tractor and grader. "All the sprinters had their own set of starting blocks," Williams says. "And Bob made them all." Williams, who at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds was unusually big for a sprinter, was the star of the 1954 state championship team. At state, he won the 220-yard dash, finished third in the 100 and anchored the Black Tornado�s 4 x 220 relay team to victory. His fastest time over 100 yards was 10.0 seconds, the equivalent of a 10.9 100 meters. He also ran a 49.8 split in the 4 x 400 relay. Williams, whose parents and grandparents owned pear orchards in Medford, later ran for Bowerman at Oregon. He�s looking forward to serving as today�s starter, a task he regularly performs at high school and college meets in Northern California. "It�s going to be an honor," he says. "Medford is my hometown." Joining Williams as dignitaries at today�s meet will be Bob Newland, Jr., and Dean Benson, another former Medford High track coach. Bob Newland, Sr., who left Medford for Eugene in the summer of 1957, died of cancer in 1995 at the age of 67.Today�s meet showcases freshmen and sophomore track athletes from the Rogue Valley. In addition to South Medford, other schools competing are North Medford, Ashland, Crater, Rogue River, Grants Pass, Klamath Union, Eagle Point, St. Mary�s and Phoenix. The meet, sponsored by the Mail Tribune and Providence Medford Medical Center, is the brainchild of South Medford coaches Bill Rowan and Tim Rupp. They wanted a meet that allowed the younger runners, jumpers and throwers to have their day under the sun. Bob Newland would have liked that. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.