Larry Williams resigns as Bloomington South head boys track coach

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Back in the 1970s and early 1980s, Hall of Fame coaches John McNichols and Marshall Goss ran Bloomington’s boys track/cross country programs before turning them over to a pair of future Hall of Famers in Larry Williams and Charlie Warthan.

Some four decades later, Warthan is leaving North, and Williams, 64, is now 66.7% retired, deciding to give up teaching a few years back and now stepping away as South’s head boys track coach after 44 years while retaining his spot in charge of the boys cross country team. It’s time for the next generation to step up.

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“I’ve been thinking all throughout the season,” Williams said. “It was time. A lot of things with it, including going in more and more stressed than I wanted to be.

“I still love it, but we had nearly 100 boys, and there’s only 16 events. I laughed that this year I was going to start using Medicare and Social Security and just became a grandfather. That put some things in perspective. Cross country also takes a lot of time, but you’re coaching everyone to the same event instead of workouts for multiple events.”

It’s been such an ingrained part of his life as well as his wife Missy’s that he found it was best to slowly let go.

“I joked I was doing retirement in thirds,” Williams said. “I left teaching three years ago, then track, and when it’s time for cross country. I didn’t want to go cold turkey.”

Williams may stick around as an assistant if the new hire wants him around. With all the effort he’s put into learning the pole vault, starting back in 1985 when he helped Dan Burton win state, he’s helped guide the Volz boys and many more to state medals. The latest is senior Arthur Banks, who is a legit contender to win state next year.

“I have a vision of sticking around,” Williams said. “Pole vaulters, we only jump on certain days, and I can drive my car to meets.”

And there will be time to see his son who lives in Salt Lake City or take some time off for Spring Break for a change—things the North grad has set aside since the spring of 1983.

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“Absolutely, I did not think I’d be there that long,” Williams said. “But I didn’t think they’d take a chance on a 22-year-old to be the head coach of the program. To me, South was always a storied program.

“North coach John McNichols was the one who got me going as a volunteer freshman football coach.”

Before Williams took the job at South, Marshall and McNichols started junior high cross country programs and had alums in charge of each team, which sent Williams to University. Williams graduated from Indiana University, and the timing was perfect.

Fred Huff’s retirement opened up a teaching position at South. Marshall left for Indiana University that fall and Tom Alwine took over. Williams was an assistant and the unpaid girls cross country coach. A year later, Alwine left, and Williams was handed the reins to the boys’ XC and track programs and never let go, leaning on Marshall, McNichols, former North girls XC coach/athletic director Ralph Sieboldt and others as mentors.

“I’ve had a lot of great people to work with, a lot of people and a lot of volunteers,” Williams said. “There’s only 2½ paid positions per track team. Other schools, some smaller than us, have more than we do.

“I love those people because we have to rely on volunteers. I’m proud of the success our program has had, and of course, we’ve had great kids.”

Not the least of which was the Class of 2026, which left state with eight medal-winning individuals and a relay, a state team title, and several school records that should have long shelf lives. Williams’ athletes have won 19 sectional team titles and 11 regionals with eight top-10 finishes at state, topped by a third-place finish in 2009-10 and over 70 state medals.

“We’ve had a good run,” Williams said. “We’re very fortunate in Bloomington to have two great high school programs with a rich history in track and cross country that bleeds over from one year to the next.

“So the expectations will be there for whoever steps up.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Larry Williams resigns as Bloomington South head boys track coach