In 1962, a young Purdue graduate from Attica, Indiana, changed a school’s and community’s attitude toward the sport of track and field, as related by a 13-year-old, Gary Thrapp (1968 IHSAA pole vault champion).

I was star struck by our high school vaulter, John Bodenhafer, and attended almost every high school practice (it didn’t hurt living two blocks from the school’s track). The Goshen Relays were upcoming and I remember Coach Hugh Enicks asking me if I would like to ride on the team bus with the team to the Relays as Bodenhafer’s pole catcher. My parents said yes and that was it! Coach Enicks challenged the team to win the Relays, always my favorite meet and, if they did, he would run 38 miles back to Kendallville after the meet. We won our school’s division! That night upon reaching the Kendallville city limits, he was met by nearly everyone who lived in the town. This event became legendary and inspired an entire community. His final mile into the city was a police car and school bus fan parade. This man single handedly generated the love of track and cross country in this small community and set the stage for Dave Bowers and future stewards of the sport.