Dowell going into state track coaches Hall of Fame
December 6th, 2012 by nathan joyceLane “Lanny” Dowell was headed to the Tacoma Dome to watch the
state football championships last week, when the phone rang.
It was a call telling him he was going into the Washington State
Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“They laid that one on me, and I thought ‘whoa,’” he said.
Dowell’s coaching resume isn’t long. He was an assistant at West
Bremerton from 1963-73. He was the head coach in 1974. He came back
as an assistant for a few years.
He made a big impact as an official. He became an official in 1989
and worked 15 US track and field championships, including three
Olympic trials.
Dowell as officiated nine international meets.
He was the national official of the year in 2005 and twice won the
award in Washington and twice in Oregon. He’s been nominated for
the national track and field officials Hall of Fame.
Dowell retired from working the big meets in 2008, but he still
helps out at high school meets.
Dowell has worked tirelessly toward making the hammer throw a
higher profile sport in Washington. It’s not a WIAA certified event
in high school meets. He helped create a state championship meet
for the event in 2000. He also a key figure in making the
Washington vs. Oregon meet of champions in 1997.
He’s also worked with the WIAA on improving the quality of
officiating, especially at postseason meets.
As Dowell points out, track and field is the most participated
sports in high school and meets often don’t have qualified
officials.
“That’s what has to be done to make the sport first class,” he
said.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
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