Jim Lancaster ‘humbled and flattered’ by being selected the IAAM Indoor Track Coach of the Year

By Nelson Coffin
nelson@iaamsports.com

Notre Dame Prep coach Jim Lancaster had a few obstacles to overcome on his way to complete a very satisfying indoor track season.

Now in his 20th year of coaching and second at NDP, Lancaster and assistants Nate Jones and Tunde Oyediran made the very best of every situation facing the league in general and the Blazers specifically.

His coaching peers noticed how Lancaster handled things this winter by naming him the IAAM Indoor Track Coach of the Year, an honor that made him feel “humbled and flattered.”

All IAAM coaches had to deal with the loss of the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex for all of December until mid-January. Not having that facility available truncated a season that already has some issues for athletes whose training regimens can be affected by the (Thanksgiving and Christmas) holidays and snow-related school closures.

Nevertheless, Lancaster and the Blazers learned to compete at a relatively high level while making do without a track on campus and converting a nearby empty building into a positive place for jumpers, throwers and hurdlers to work on their techniques.

Ever resourceful, Lancaster also arranged to have track practices at Goucher College while using that auxiliary building for other workouts.

All in all, he was very happy with the results.

“My kids had a great year,” he said, noting that this year’s team finished fourth in the A Conference after ending up in last place last winter. “We had several girls who medaled in events that I didn’t think that they would— and we set six school records.”

Lancaster was quick to praise Goucher for allowing the Blazers track time.

“We don’t have the advantage of having a track on campus like the three teams who finished above us,” he said, referring to McDonogh, Archbishop Spalding and Maryvale. “But Goucher has been awesome to us and we made use of an interesting space (for indoor practices).”

As NDP’s Upper Level assistant principal, Lancaster won’t have time to coach the outdoor team this spring, although he will assist the Blazers distance runners.

Maryvale coach Jason Miller said that Lancaster had his team “focused and ready to compete” this season.

“Jim really stepped up in the midst of the PG center closing down for months,” Miller continued. “He communicated with the other coaches, asked for input and took a season with a lot of uncertainty to a season where the girls were able to compete as much as they could under the circumstances.”