KAILUA-KONA — After decades in the making, Kealakehe High School has finally finished a crown jewel.
Earlier this summer, construction for the blue weather synthetic track that encircles Waverider Stadium was completed — just in time to be showcased during football season. A new shot put sector was also completed.
“This is a big pride thing,” cross country coach Duke Hartfield said during practice on the new track. “Everyone is so excited to have this track.”
The light blue masterpiece is unique compared to typical tracks. Compared to Kealakehe’s old cinder track, the new project is technically made of rubber, giving runners a slight bounce and easy push-offs — making it undemanding on the joints. The track is also weatherproof, stable enough to run in all conditions with its drainage compatibility.
“We had a lot of issues with our student athletes coming up with injuries because (the old track) wasn’t ideal,” former athletic director Alan Vogt said, who played an instrumental role in planning the project.
Hartfield is also thrilled for his team to consistently practice on the newly-done project. Fresh off a Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) boys title in 2022, he believes the track is a huge beneficiary in preparation for meets going forward.
“The surface alone is much better to train on,” he said.
Another unique aspect of the project is that it is the only track in the state of Hawaii with no markers other than change of color to indicate the exchange zone — which is used during relay races. When runners reach this area, the color changes from blue to gray. On typical tracks, there are arrows or other similar markers to designate the exchange zone.
“We wanted to do this because aesthetically, it’s just less marks,” Hartfield explained. “We experimented, and the rules state we don’t have to have any other marks.”
While Kealakehe is thrilled to have this project done, multiple hurdles had to be jumped over in order to make this $3-million endeavor come to life. Original talks of the new track began two decades ago. Due to an initial budget shortfall, deliberations of financial cuts took place, which stalled the project. Some of the cuts included aluminum bleachers and a synthetic turf field.
The proposed plan resurfaced a few years ago until the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation. Prices in materials rose dramatically, which prolonged the plan even more. However, Vogt credits state representative Nicole Lowen for helping accumulate funding from Hawaii to finally get the project off the ground. Construction began in the fall of 2022, with the football team having to play all away games.
“We wanted to do this the right way,” Vogt said of the prolonged project. “And so far, we’ve heard nothing but good comments (from the community on the track).”
With the project’s completion in the rear view, Kealakehe is excited for what the track can bring to the school community. In addition to it being open for public use during school hours, school leaders are aiming to host the state track meet by 2025. Vogt explained that the newly-expanded space surrounding the track makes it viable for schools to set up their team tents, as well as the weather-proof rubber to withstand any type of weather.
“This is the ideal location for it,” he said.
During the 2023-24 school year, the new track will host the freshman and sophomore meets, as well as the BIIF Championships during track season — kicking off an exciting era in the Kealakehe sports community.
