Big year for track program

This is a huge year for Carson High track.

The Senators are hosting seven different meets, including the regional trials, regional finals and state finals over the course of the last three weeks of May.

Carson coach Robert Maw estimates that more than 6,000 athletes will compete on the CHS oval this year.

Getting the state meet on Memorial Day weekend is huge for CHS. In the past state and regional meets have usually been held at Damonte Ranch.

“Damonte Ranch puts on a great meet, and it’s a good facility” Maw said. “However, we have the only nine-lane track in the state. Coaches in Las Vegas have told me they can’t wait to bring their kids down here and see our facility in person.

“We have the best jumping facility and our throws area is very good. They (jumps and throws) are away from the track. It’s a very spectator friendly facility.”

What Maw would like to see happen is for Carson to be awarded the state meet every other year; become the permanent Northern Nevada site.

The one advantage of having state at Carson is that the two Vegas leagues could each bring their third-place league-meet finisher because CHS has the nine-lane track. That gets one more boy and girl runner for the 100, 200 and 400 and the relays.

Maw said he’s been getting plenty of help from local officials, especially Joel Dunn, head of the Visitors and Convention Bureau.

“He’s involved the police and fire departments, and health officials,” Maw said. “We’ll have an ambulance on hand (the entire time) in case of any emergencies.”

Maw said that Dunn estimates that the event could mean up to $1 million for the city in terms of hotel revenues and meals.

The city will be busy that weekend because there is a big softball tournament going on at Centennial Park where players will be playing softball 24-7.

“The athletic directors throughout the state had their meeting last week, and I think information about hotels and restaurants was passed out,” Maw said. “There may be some hotel business funneled down to Douglas. I think some of the Vegas schools may elect to stay together in Reno.

“There is talk about setting up a wine walk in Carson City to give parents to do when they aren’t at the track.”

Another big happening is a state-of-the-art scoreboard for the facility. Maw said it’s an ongoing process, and he’s hoping it can be in place by the time the regional and state meets roll around.