(Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information) 

Westfield State to Name Track after Gravel

The Westfield State College board of Trustees voted to name the college's track after longtime track and field coach and professor Jerry Gravel at the board's meeting on Thursday night.

The trustees approved the motion presented by Dr. Carol Persson, vice-president of enrollment management, who served as a professor alongside Gravel in the department of movement science for many years. Persson spoke of her experience working with Gravel, and read excerpts from the many e-mails that had been sent by alumni and friends in support of the naming. 

The "Jerry Gravel Track" will be dedicated this spring in conjunction with the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) track and field championships which will be hosted by Westfield on April 25.

"I'm humbled by the experience," said Gravel by telephone from his home in Oceanside, Calif., on Friday. "It's a great honor. It's great recognition for the dedication of our track and field athletes over the last 40 years - it's not just an honor for me - it's an honor to all of them as well."

Several alumni also attended the meeting, along with Gravel's brother, Jim, and son, Mark.  Jim Gravel had initially approached Westfield State College President Dr. Evan Dobelle about the possibility of naming the track after his brother at a reception the college sponsored on Cape Cod last summer.

After the board approved the motion, the room burst into a round of applause.

"I felt proud for Jerry, the cross country and track and field programs, and the college," said Kevin Dalton '77, an attorney from Manchester, Mass., who attended the trustee meeting. "It couldn't happen to a better guy than Jerry Gravel. It reminded me how fortunate we were as students to attend Westfield State, and how the college and Jerry helped to shape our lives after graduation. 

"We went in as boys, and graduated as men," said Dalton, who still holds the school record in the steeplechase.

Gravel, who was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004, served as track coach at Westfield State from 1969 until 1997. Gravel started the track and field program at Westfield State and built it into a regional power, winning two New England Championships, and 20 of 26 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference titles.

Gravel coached 32 All-Americans and 142 athletes who qualified for the NCAA Championships in their events.

"Our student-athletes sacrificed a lot through the years to be successful," said Gravel. "We used to run in one of the steam tunnels to practice in the winter. We won our first title before we even had a track. In 1974, the college owned five hurdles and four sets of starting blocks and we were able to win. There were many unique contributions from all our athletes."

The track that will be named in Gravel's honor is a far cry from the humble beginnings of the program. The Alumni Field complex was renovated in 2006, and is one of the top facilities for collegiate track and field in New England. The eight-lane synthetic-surfaced facility was honored as one of the best in the nation by the American Sports Builders Association. It features four jumping pits, two shot put throwing areas, and two throwing areas for the discus and hammer throw.

The track hosted the 2008 Western Mass high school track and field championships, and will be the site of the 2009 MASCAC and New England Alliance track and field championships in conjunction with the naming ceremony this April.

A native of Attleboro, Mass., Jerry himself was a standout athlete, and competed as a member of the track team at UMass-Amherst, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1960. He earned a master's degree at Kent State University in 1961.

In addition to coaching, Gravel was an associate professor in the movement science department at Westfield State, teaching biomechanics, health related fitness, strength training and other classes.

"Jerry was like a father to many of us for four years," said Jim McGilloway '78, now Actuarial Services Manager for Safety Insurance. "He took us under his wing, and taught us a lot both inside and outside the classroom. Jerry has been a real good friend, and dedicated to Westfield State track all his life."

Since retiring from Westfield State, Gravel, 71, has resided in the San Diego area, and teaches at MiraCosta Community College. He has remained active with the Westfield State College community, serving as an advisor to the cross country and track and field programs, and has been a key organizer in implementing the Dan Doyle Scholarship and the James Earley Scholarship at Westfield State, and annually helps organize the Dan Doyle Golf Tournament and the James Earley Open Cross Country race to support those scholarships named for two of his former athletes.

"The last 17 years, we've been getting together for the Doyle tournament," said McGilloway. It's coach Gravel that draws us all together.  We go back, and listen to his terrible jokes that we've heard before, but he still makes us laugh. He just has the ability to attract people, and together we've raised more than $100,000 to support the Doyle scholarship."

"It's wonderful that (Coach Gravel) has helped keep the spirit of my brother alive," said Kate (Doyle) Rowe '82. "When I went to college I tagged along with my brother and his friends and Jerry always has had a very deep relationship with the people he coached. He continues to live life as he professed."

Gravel has also supported the Owl Club at Westfield State with efforts to raise funds, most recently to purchase the Trackmaster equipment to help run meets at the college.

In honor of the track naming, a group of alumni and friends are leading a fundraising effort to support the Westfield State track and field program in Jerry Gravel's honor, with a goal of $100,000 to support the program and continue the tradition of excellence began by coach Gravel.