Take 3 with Z: Tommy Meagher

In this episode of Take 3 with Z, we flash back to the days of big hair and Coach Z loses a bet by 25 pounds!

The athletes that pack the Reggie Lewis Center each week have no idea that they are in the presence of track and field legends.  They may know the current names that top the state and national rankings, but they have no idea that many of the coaches and officials are prominent figures in the world track and field.

NCAA Champions, Hall of Fame members, national record holders, are all titles that you can find on the resumes of unassuming figures that graciously do their job each week at our local meets.  All of them sacrifice their weekends to give back to the sport that has helped shape their lives.

Tommy Meagher is one of those guys.  Most would only recognize him in a red vest holding a starting pistol, but if you look carefully, you can see Tommy on television all year long.  The well respected Massachusetts official is also heavily involved with the USATF, the Boston Marathon, and a host of other high profile meets.  His commitment to the sport is only outdone by his outgoing personality, and if you want to hear some great stories, just catch him between races.  The only problems is………Tommy rattles-off races with machine like precision and often has the next race going before the preceding one has crossed the finish line.

Those that have spent their competitive career in Massachusetts often don’t realize how fortunate they are.  The rest of the country does not bring an army of officials to every meet.  In fact, most other state organizations rely on coaches and parents to manage the logistics of non-championship meets. There is no way they could conduct an entire league meet in two hours. 

Next time you are at the track be sure to thank the officials.  They are wonderful people who share a unified passion for the sport.  Plus, they know everybody, and probably have some great stories about your coach.

Thanks again to Tommy and Coach Z for helping us find a deeper appreciation of the sport.  Enjoy!