In 1975, Steve Prefontaine set his last American record on the Marshfield track. In 2001, the entire track was resurfaced and named Prefontaine Track in honor of the legendary distance runner. The track was again resurfaced in September and multiple improvements to the facility are in progress.
Middle school coach Steve Delgado and head coach Richard “Mac” McIntosh want the Prefontaine facility to be known as one of the top in the state.
“We honor Pre when we work at our passions like he did,” Delgado said. “We don’t have to settle for second best.”
McIntosh agrees with Delgado.
“We’d love to see Prefontaine Track become a destination for high school teams seeking elite-level competition,” McIntosh said.
According to McIntosh, the resurfacing is part of ongoing maintenance of the facility. Most tracks require resurfacing every 10 years, and there had been 12 years of wear on the MHS track surface.
Along with the new track surface, a single lane has been put in underneath the stadium and new concrete pads were poured for maximized space, allowing athletes to train comfortably in harsh weather or if the track area is full.
Senior track co-captain Alex Valdovinos-Brown said he is looking forward to these new changes.
“I feel we’ll be able to have more opportunities to get better,” Valdovinos-Brown said.
Delgado said he is optimistic about the renovations.
“The lane underneath the stadium will allow more of a variety of training when the weather makes outside workouts unsafe,” Delgado said. “We’re also working on acquiring more exercise machines so athletes rehabbing have more options to stay fit while they heal.”
Several other projects are also currently in progress. New power lifting stations are being made and the program is striving for covered stands for the throws and pole vault areas. The current trophy cases are being reorganized as well to not only recognize past athletes, but to promote the program to potential team members.
“Our hope is to create a working space that both rekindles memories for our alumni and ignites the imagination of future track stars,” Delgado said.
The school district paid for the resurfacing, and the team contributed the rest of the funds for further renovation; however, much of that has been acquired through donations and fundraising. Local businesses, including Golder’s Napa Auto Parts and Modern Floors, have contributed significantly to the additions, but according to Delgado, it was a team effort.
“Many individuals have donated hours of their time to this project. Coaches, community members, and track athletes have all helped,” Delgado said.
Year-round fundraising also contributes financially to the development.
“We do a lot of fundraising. It feels good to see our hard work come together, and we can actually see the difference we’re making in our facility,” Valdovinos-Brown said.
