Indoor track supporters ask Lovell board to reconsider program cut

Former coaches, parents and student athletes filled the public comment portion of Monday night’s Lovell School Board meeting with a common request: Give the Lovell High School indoor track program another chance.

At its July meeting, the school board voted unanimously to eliminate indoor track. At the time, Superintendent William Hiser said the primary concern was athlete safety.

The move brought former coaches, parents and athletes to Monday night’s meeting, where they argued that the safety concerns and other challenges could be addressed without eliminating the program.

Speakers said they were surprised by the decision to eliminate the program and frustrated that coaches, athletes and parents were not given an opportunity to discuss possible solutions before the decision was made. Several said they understood the district is facing difficult financial decisions but believed indoor track could be continued at a reduced cost or with changes to the way the program operates.

Former head coach Lindsay Lindsay spoke first, telling the board she believed many of the concerns surrounding the program could be addressed.

“We didn’t really even see it coming,” she said. “We have solutions. We have ideas. We have thoughts.”

Among the concerns she said had been raised were safety, particularly with indoor throwing events, limited practice facilities, coaching and possibly funding.

Lindsay said the program has operated for years without its own facility, and coaches and athletes have learned to adapt. She offered to adjust practice times, use other facilities and work around basketball and wrestling schedules.

She also pointed to throwing equipment obtained through donated funds that could help address safety concerns.

If coaching costs are an issue, Lindsay offered another solution.

“I’m a certified head coach. I’m willing to donate my time,” she told the board.

Several students then explained what indoor track has meant to them, particularly those who do not participate in basketball or wrestling. For those athletes, speakers said, eliminating indoor track leaves them without a school sport during the winter months and takes away several months of training and competition before the outdoor season begins.

Lovell High School senior Celeste Lindsay said indoor track helped her develop as an athlete and see a future in the sport.

“I really love my indoor team. I love to represent my school,” she said. “I’m thankful for the program and what it’s done for me.”

Student Tazz McArthur said indoor track provides an opportunity to stay active during the winter while preparing for the outdoor season and potentially competing in college.

“It’s definitely a sport that can involve anyone, no matter your stature or size,” McArthur said. “I would like to continue running track collegiately, and I think it’s a great way to keep me running and getting me fit and healthy.”

Former longtime coach Chad Lindsay gave the board some history of the program, saying he began volunteering with Lovell track in 1995 and helped start the indoor program in 2006.

At the beginning, Lindsay said, the district provided little financial support. He coached without pay, while transportation, fuel, meals and lodging were not paid by the district.

Despite those limitations, the program grew. Chad Lindsay served as a volunteer head coach for five years, from 2006 through 2010. In 2011, Josh Sanders took over as head coach, and the district began paying the head coaching position. During much of that time, Lovell also welcomed students from neighboring high schools into the program, including athletes from Powell, Rocky Mountain and Riverside. 

Still, throughout the program’s 20-year history, Lovell indoor track has relied heavily on volunteer coaches, including the Lindsays, Joshua and Caleb Sanders, A. Jay Montanez, Josey Allen and several others.

Lindsay said indoor track has always required coaches and athletes to improvise, because Lovell does not have an indoor track facility. He said coaches have worked around other sports and adjusted practice locations and schedules.

But Chad Lindsay said the value of the program goes far beyond winning races or throwing farther.

“I love sports, but sports are not that important,” he said. “It’s the relationships. It’s the opportunities. It’s the setting goals. It’s going through hard things. It’s achieving great things.”

He asked the district to work with coaches to find a way to continue.

“There’s a way to make it work,” Lindsay said. “Please let it work.”

Student athletes echoed that request.

Nate Cornia told the board indoor track gave him a significant head start going into the outdoor season and helped convince him that he wants to compete in track at the collegiate level.

Hunter Krei suggested compromises, including limiting competitions or allowing athletes to train even if Lovell did not field a full indoor track team.

“I’m not asking you guys to spend a bunch of money to ship us out to a bunch of meets,” he said. “I just want to train and get better. That’s all I’m asking for.”

Parent Kindy Krei also explained that indoor track offers events not available during the outdoor season, including shorter sprint distances that can provide important times for athletes hoping to compete in college.

Throughout the comments, speakers repeatedly returned to the idea that alternatives could have been explored before eliminating the program. Several emphasized that they were not simply asking the district to restore the program exactly as it had operated in the past. They said they were willing to consider fewer meets, different practice arrangements, volunteer coaching and other changes that could reduce costs.

Community member Dan Anderson questioned why the district would add a new middle school activity (cheerleading) while eliminating an established high school program.

“I think we can sit down with the kids, the teachers, the parents, and we can work these problems out,” he said.

Board members thanked the students and adults for speaking, noting that addressing the board can be difficult, particularly for young athletes.

The board took no immediate action during the public comment portion of the meeting.

In 2026, 32 Wyoming high schools offered indoor track, including 16 at the Class 4A level and 16 at the Class 3A level. In the Big Horn Basin, Powell, Cody and Worland are among the schools with indoor track programs.

In the past, most schools have allowed students from outside their districts to participate in their programs. However, following recent state budget cuts, several districts are considering charging participation fees for out-of-district athletes.

After the meeting, board chairman Stacy Bair said that typically, if at least two board members request that an item be placed on the agenda, the board could consider the issue further.

For now, the future of the Lovell High School indoor track program remains in a wait-and-see mode.