How we began 

Early Memories of The Villages Track and Field Club
By John Topliss
Co-founder and Legendary Coach

They don't call him the Prime Minister of Donut Jokes for nothing!

As far as I can establish, the club was started about 2002. I joined in 2004 when all the training took place at the polo fields with Chris Murray (track) and Jim Corcoran (throws) looking after things. Sprint training took place on the far side of the polo fields, either on the asphalt path where Chris had put markings down at 0m, 100m, 200m and 300m, or on the adjacent grass next to the polo fields.
 
We were not allowed to run on the polo fields themselves. Some sprinters preferred the asphalt, and some (myself included) preferred the grass. I hated doing a 300m straight line run, as it never seemed to end. The distance runners would run around the perimeter of both polo fields which, they told me, was a mile around.
 
The discus, shot and hammer guys used a concrete throwing circle in the field. I am not sure which dimensions were used (either shot, discus or hammer) when it was put in. Some throwers still use it today, though many prefer to go to Lady Lake, where a much better facility exists. Many years later I discovered a long jump pit near the original throwing circle, but I do not know if anyone used it. The javelin throwers would practice in the smaller grass area at the very end of the far polo field, which they still use today.
 
During this early period we put on a get-together at the polo fields for anyone interested in track and field. We had about thirty people who wanted to take up walking but very few who wanted to run, jump or throw.
 
Meeting Al Oerter at the Florida Senior Games
 
The Villages hosted the Florida Senior Games in 2003, 2004 and 2005. These were by far the best of any since then. At the 2004 and 2005 Games, I and many other volunteers helped Chris Murray with track and field. I also competed when I could. I remember being in a large parade around Spanish Springs. Competitors from all sports took part. We had quite a few who walked behind somebody carrying a sign labelled “track and field.” We then enjoyed some refreshments in the square. Chris Murray introduced me to Al Oerter, the four-time Olympic discus champion, at the 2005 parade. Chris had coached his wife, and Al was going to be in charge of the next Games at Fort Myers.
 
Taking Our Place on the Track
  
Although the 2003 State Games took place at the high school’s newly laid track, our club was not allowed to use it, even though Chris had been very much involved with the design and getting the ninth lane added. Consequently, Chris, Jim and I approached The Villages Recreation Department to have a track of our own. We submitted drawings: one for a regular 400m track and the other for a track with just a 150m straight. Eventually after much dilly dallying and perhaps threats from us that we would not help or compete at the future State Games or Villages Games, we got the OK to use the track. The following year, Chris and I were asked to be track coaches at the high school.
 
It was round about this time that I started setting up a database of club records and personal records. I found as many results as I could. The earliest were from 2002. Chuck Lorenz saw that I had many sheets of paper with crossing-outs, etc., and he offered to set them up on his computer for me. We still update this data about twice a year. 
 
The athletes I recall who competed in those very early days were:
 
MEN
Doug Cronkhite, Tony Halish, Ernie Sowell, Tom Day, Dave Shave, Fordy Searles, John Rogerson, Jim Corcoran, Tom Fulton, Terry Henry, Chuck Lorenz, Bud Pefley, Frank Porcelli, Carl Shank, Frank Skvarek, Fred Weber, Dean Stevenson, Pete Sarubbi, Ryan Beighley, Hal Moores, and Paul Hardy.
 
WOMEN
Tiny Cazel, Janice Lathouwers, Shirley Jones, Alice Kelly, Marguerite Muller, Bunny Lauck, Avis Vaught, and Bettye Ginn.
 
Apologies if I have missed anyone.
 
During these early years we competed at quite a few Senior Games within Florida, and many of our athletes went on to the National Champs. The 2003 Nationals at Hampton Roads saw Tiny Cazel finish in first place in both the discus and javelin and 4th place in the shot in the 65-69 age group, with Janice Lathouwers also taking first place in the discus and javelin and second place in the shot in the 55-59 age group.
 
Early Wins by Our Club Members
 
More of our athletes competed at the 2005 Nationals in Pittsburgh, with the following results.
 
Tiny Cazel, still in the 65-69 age group, once again took first place in the javelin and discus and 4th place in the shot; to this she added second place in the 400m and 800m, 5th place in the long jump, and 6th place in the 100m.
 
Alice Kelly took 3rd place in the 55-59 age group at 1500m, and Carolyn Zelonis took 5th place in the 60-64 1500m. Tom Fulton took 2nd place in the 65-69 shot and 5th place in the javelin. Fred Weber took 5th place in the 65-69 discus, and Paul Hardy took 7th place in the 70-74 javelin.
 
During this early period, two of our athletes were nominated as Florida State Athletes of the Year:
Janice Lathouwers in 2002, and Tiny Cazel in 2003. They were followed by Avis Vaught in 2010 and Peggy Peck in 2019. Fantastic.
 
There’s No Place Like the Home Field
 
As we competed at various senior meetings across Florida, we realized that things elsewhere were not always as good as we were used to. Here are a few memories.
 
Not all tracks are rubberised surfaces (known in the UK as tartan). I did not know that asphalt tracks and runways existed. We discovered this when we arrived – that happened at least twice. After that we always made sure that the track was checked out before those meetings so we could avoid them.
 
At another track at a private school in Ocala, I discovered that the outer lanes (about 150m from the finish) had large branches overhanging them. Since I was drawn in lane 6 for the 200m, I would have crashed right into them. They had to send for the school caretaker, who cut them down. The meeting was delayed for a short time.
 
At the same track a few years later, at which I was not competing, athletes competing in the 100m said their time was a PR (personal record) (called PB, for personal best, in the UK). When one of our athletes told me his time, I thought something was wrong. Soon I found that the starter was lining them up at the wrong line. They were actually running 97.5m. 
 
Then there was the time at a university in Ocala when I was long jumping and students were officiating. After my first jump I noted that they had placed the tape several inches ahead of where I had broken the sand.  When I asked why they said, “That’s where your heel finished.” I pointed out that this was wrong – it needed to be measured where the sand was broken. Since many athletes had already jumped that day, many of them would have probably recorded PRs.
 
In the early days of introducing the 50m event, we were competing at Polk County. During my warm-up, results of the earlier heats were announced. I thought, WOW, those times are good – possibly too good. Sure enough, it was obvious that the 50m start was misplaced. I told the starter about this. He seemed very reluctant to check it out (probably thought I was a Crazy English Guy), but it measured at something like 42.5m. The start was reset. Fortunately I won my 50m heat.
 
Jump-Starting the Women’s Triple Jump
 
Several of our women had recently taken up the triple jump, and they were very good at it. I was always keen to go to meetings where the triple jump was included. There were only a few of those, so I asked the organisers to add it. My offer to look after the event was always accepted.
 
The first time this happened, at a private school track, it was scheduled as the first field event. There was only one jumping pit, so I figured I’d just need to place tape on the runway for the different take-off points and give the sand a gentle rack-over. But what I found was a pit so full of weeds and greenery that there was very little sand to be seen. It took me about half an hour to get it cleared, but at least our ladies got to jump.
 
We Are Family
 
Since these very early days, our club has grown with many more members of all abilities. Everyone is welcome. We have a range of athletes, from some who have never competed before to former Olympians. I feel as if we are one big family.
 
One more thing I like about track and field (called “athletics” in the UK) is that you can always measure your performances. As you get older you can check your standings against the age-graded tables. That’s the fairest measure of your progress. 

Editor's Note: John Topliss and his wife, Jean, returned to their native home in Birmingham, England, in May 2023. We have so many wonderful memories of their friendship. Click here to get a glimpse of our fond farewell at the Going Topliss Party. 
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