Mike Byrnes co-founded the NSAF with Jim Spier and coached many great Wantagh NY high school squads over the decades. A true pioneer in the sport, he will be missed. He was 83.
http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/1913
NSAF Co-Founder and great Wantagh HS (NY) coach Mike Byrnes passes away
High School Running
History
Report Thread
You are reporting this thread to the moderators for review and possible removal from the forum.
-
-
Mr Brynes was so far ahead if his time. Organized one of first road races on Long Island the 4th July 5 miler, sold running shoes way before any running stores opened. More importantly he was a great social studies teacher. He was my home room teacher and coach. He is a big reason I got a Div 1 scholarship and also finished law school. His workouts were legendary. In 8th grade home room I told him I wanted to try out for track and be a distance runner. That after I went to the track. He was the high school coach. He said the distance guys ran to Jones Beach go catch up. It was 14 miles round trip. I never caught up and git back in the dark. He said he wanted to see if I really wanted to be a distance runner
-
Thanks for that ... didn't realize he was a social studies teacher. Please share this thread with some of your teammates and Wantagh alums; would love to hear some more memories.
-
Mike was a major influence on my life. He was my 7th grade social studies teacher and recruited me and my brother Doug to run for him. Doug was the 3rd man on the Wantagh team that won state in '63, running sub 10 behind Ron Gustafson (state champ as a soph) and Jim Johnson (4:18 and 9:18 when they did not allow doubling at anything longer than the 440). Mike was my inspiration to run, which I did for 45 years. I wrote to him 17 years ago to say "Thank you". He wrote back, as one would expect a very nice, personal note. He will be missed.
Glenn -
Forgot to mention that he hosted Arthur Lydiard in his home in the late 60's on one of Arthur's US trips. Mike was a Lydiard follower from early in the 60's after the "Lydiard Boys" did so well in Rome.
-
Ran for Mike from 1964-1967, his 20 quarter mile workouts (two alternating groups) were brutal, but looking back were effective. Dave Littlehales and I loved the distance workouts( Jones Beach, Old country Road). The worst moment was our loss to Carey H.S. , which broke our win/loss record! The bus ride back was not pleasent.
