ORIGINALLY WRITTEN
Angie Helmer Spielman, who still holds five track and field records at Hillsboro High School, was profiled with her husband, Mike, in the recent issue of Kansas Alumni magazine.
The Spielmans have built a track dynasty at Baldwin City. Mike coaches at Baldwin High School and has won two state “Coach of the Year” awards.
Angie, meanwhile, runs the junior-high track program. Both are alumni of Kansas University.
Angie coached junior-high track with Bob Timmons during the mid-1990s after the former KU coaching legend grew restless after retiring from KU in 1988.
“It was a great learning experience, seeing how he thinks and how he runs his workouts,” Angie was quoted as saying.
She said her own goal is to teach the basics, and develop runners who are enthusiastic about training and competing.
While at HHS, Helmer Spielman set numerous records. The five marks still standing are in long jump (17 feet 5 inches in 1983), 100 meters (12.4 seconds in 1983), 200 meters (25.6 in 1983), 400 meters (57.5 in 1982), and the 800 meters (2:22.4 in 1984).
She went on to compete at KU as a middle-distance runner and was a perennial medalist in Big Eight championship meets. She graduated from KU in 1989.
