The International Prep Invitational track and field meet has been revived.
Founder Joe Newton said the meet, which annually attracted the top high school performers along with several international entries, has found sponsorship from McDonald’s Corp. with help from American Airlines, United Airlines and Walgreen Co.
“It’s a miracle,” said Newton, the coach of York’s perennial state champion cross-country teams. “We have been working on it for three months and now it’s on.”
The meet will be June 8 at York High School. York’s Marius Bakken, who Thursday ran a 4-minute-9.1-second 1,600 meters, is expected to be showcased.
The prestigious event, formerly known as the Keebler Invitational, was last held in 1993.
Texas bound: Texas-Pan American assistant basketball coach Art Ormand said the coaching staff is excited about the signing of Farragut’s 6-foot-4-inch Larry Jackson to an NCAA letter of intent.
Jackson, who transferred to Farragut after being suspended at Oak Park and was ruled ineligible to play for the Admirals, averaged nearly 20 points a game for Oak Park in the first semester.
Jackson has a court case pending for the alleged assault of his Oak Park coach, Al Allen.
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“We want Larry to have a fresh start here,” Ormand said. “On his visit here (to Edinburg, Texas), he came across as a very nice, polite, personable young man, and he got along fine with everyone he met.
“We don’t anticipate any problems and are looking forward to Larry having a prosperous college career.”
Still tough: There’s no letup in Chicago Schools CEO Paul Vallas’ efforts to clean up the Public League, and his next move in his get-tough agenda is to introduce a measure at next month’s School Reform board of trustees meeting calling for the banishment of coaches the first time they are caught cheating.
Critics of Vallas’ new policy have said the crackdown could discourage coaching applicants in a school system already laboring under a shortage of coaches.
“I’m not worried about a shortage of coaches,” said Vallas, who last week issued 10-day suspensions to three Public League coaches for using ineligible players during the past basketball season.
“I believe we are making the Public League sports program more attractive with this new policy. If we can turn this into a model sports program, we won’t have any problems attracting quality coaches.”
Vallas is banking on a vastly upgraded program and the reallocation of nearly $2 million into Public League athletics to attract more teachers into coaching.
Beginning in the fall, paid football coaching staff positions will be doubled from three to six with assistant coaches being paid for the first time, according to J.W. Smith, Public League director of athletics. Head-coaching stipends will increase by about 5 percent. Boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball will double paid staff positions for the next school year.
“I think Mr. Vallas’ idea is good, especially for the sake of the kids, said Marshall basketball coach Luther Bedford “All of us coaches know the rules, and we shouldn’t bend them for certain athletes. This will make sure all the coaches are doing their jobs.”