When the new million dollar multi-purpose field behind the school opens in the fall of 2008, head coach Bruce Drager says it will be the happiest day of his coaching career.

The lack of their own site for track and field practice has kept the Ballard Beavers from winning 4A state championships two consecutive years.

Drager has been with the Ballard track team for the last 15 years and teaches biology and says not having adequate practice facilities of its own, has kept his team from being the best in the state. In 2004, Ballard finished third in the state and in 2005 they were second.

Both those years, pole vaulter Ty Fotheringham was set back by not having anywhere to practice. When the state meet came around, he got hurt due to the lack of workout time. Fotheringham was one of the top pole vaulters in 4A and his points were being counted on towards the team scores.

In 2005, the Beavers lost crucial points in the state meet because the 4 x 100 relay team was not as ready as it could have been.

"There was no place to practice," said Drager. "We couldn't get handoff repetitions on a regulation track,"

Other track and field athletes were not at the top of their games with no exclusive practice facility available to them. The 2005 team was Drager's best in all his years coaching at Ballard and at a Los Angeles school. The Beavers had to settle for the runner up role to state champ Gig Harbor.

The Beavers take a bus to Ingraham High School to use their track facilities.

One time, Drager got into an argument with a soccer coach who would not allow Ballard to run the track at Ingraham. Another time the high jumpers were scheduled to practice, but found the high jump pit locked.

Over at West Seattle stadium, Drager once got into a dispute with a coach from O'Dea who would not share one track lane with Ballard.

Drager has had his runners climb over the fence at the Northeast Athletic Complex at Nathan Hale in order to get track time. He has asked the University of Washington for time on their field.

Drager said he could talk for an hour on the obstacles his teams have faced just to practice.

"I've had to sneak around just to get the kids on a track," said Drager.

He says his team needs a track to have a good program. "It has cost us a state championship two years in a row," said Drager.

Drager said he wouldn't believe the school is finally getting a six-lane running track and other field facilities until he can actually stand on it. The statement is indicative of his frustration with the issue over the years.

He was hoping a new track field when the new Ballard High Building was built, but a baseball field was added instead.

The new building opened in 1997. Construction of the new school actually removed an adequate running track.

"It will make a difference in quality workouts. It has been a real stumbling block over the years," said Drager.

Once Ballard's track facility is built, Drager wants to start a summer running program for young people to build the Beaver program. He says he wants to get a "culture of running infused in the Ballard community."

Dean Wong may be reached at 783.1244 or dino@robinsonnews.com