The best in the Southwest have once again descended on downtown Chandler for the weekend.
For the 84th time, the Chandler Rotary Track Meet gets underway Friday morning. Chandler High is once again the primary host, with nearly all events taking place at or next to Austin Field.

"Along with Arizona's best, we have alot of outstanding talent coming from out of state," says longtime event director Dave Shapiro. "It's a great event and it takes alot of great people to make it work. But most of all it gives these athletes a chance to compete against equal talent."

Over the years, the event has evolved from a small, local, gender-seperated meet to one of the nation's most prestigous high school track and field events. 
Over 4,000 athletes from 149 schools around the Southwestern Unitied States are in town to compete, including schools from California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho and Texas. Over the years, the meet has enjoyed partnerships with Nike and others, helping to attract more athletes and recognition to the event. Shapiro said the budget in recent years has reached up to $65,000. It represents the pride and dedication to the student athletes participating, as well as the size of the event.
Shapiro has overseen the growth over five decades--46 meets to be exact. He mentioned that Chandler Track coach Eric Richardson has helped with some of the bigger responsibilities in recent years. 

"It wasn't always like this," Shapiro explains, recalling the  budget for the 1982 meet, of which he still has the final reciept. "Total spent was $430, of which $205 were for medals. The starter was paid 10 dollars and everyone else got five. I believe we paid the Mesa district $100 for usage of its 'Accurack' system, which was the polaroid film timing system."

Shapiro, who spent 31 years at Chandler as a teacher and athletic director, started growing the event in the mid-1980's. 

"Al Howell was the former Chandler AD and track coach who eventually allowed me to grow the meet," Shapiro explains. "We combined the girls with the boys in 1985 and we moved forward ever since."

Shapiro made a huge impact at Chandler High. The 'Wolf Den' building just to the Southeast of the bleachers is dedicated in his name. Even after retiring in 2013, Shapiro has continued to work and build the Chandler Rotary Meet, which he admits may have gotten bigger than he ever intended. But his mission remains the same: "I always wanted to grant every athlete the opportunity to compete on the big stage," Shapiro said of his mission  

It's safe to say mission accomplished, especially for some of Arizona's best, among of which are Hamilton's Kori Martin, the defending state champion in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles. The Kentucky bound senior will look to take center stage again this weekend.

ALA Queen Creek pole vaulter Taylor Searle moved down from Montana over the summer, making a difference on the football field as a wide receiver before staking his claim as the state's best pole vaulter thus far. Searle cleared 17-3 at Corona del Sol's Aztec invitational earlier this season, good for top-five all time in Arizona history. 17 feet is rare altitude in high school pole vaulting. The Brigham Young bound Searle has his sights set on the all-time state mark of 17-7.
Gilbert's Vance Nilsson is the No. 1 300 meter competitor in the nation, and is only getting better with time.

Desert Edge junior Jamar Beal-Goines finished third in last season's D-1 100 meter dash. With a host of football scholarhsip offers as a defensive back, Beal-Goines can only help his recruiting cause by shocasing his raw speed.

Other girls top seeds from Arizona: Agua Fria’s Stacey Onyepunuka (400 meter dash), Basha’s Kayla Lark (800 meter), Liberty’s Mia Kemp (High Jump), Basha’s Jocelyn Phillips (Pole Vault), Hamilton’s Jaiden Ware (Long jump), Campo Verde’s Brooklyn Montgomery (Discus Throw) and Round Valley’s Sydnee Fynch (Shot Put).

Boys

Horizon’s Donovan Bitticks (800 meter) O’Connor’s Marcus Kitna (High Jump) and Mountain Ridge’s Nathan moreno (Triple Jump).

The event will be livestreamed on runnerspace.com, and azpreps365's Saturday Morning Show also will broadcast live from Chandler High. The radio show runs from 8-10 a.m. on 1580 AM The Fanatic and 99.3 FM.