Jay track named in honor of 'Mac'

Last Thursday, Jay High School alumni, former teachers, former students and many members of the jay community gathered at the school's gym to honor retired track and field coach James "Mac" David McDaniel by naming the school's track after him.

McDaniel taught 42 years, starting in 1961. In 1968, he transferred to Munson High School, where he coached baseball, basketball and began the track program his first year. He helped construct a 440-yard clay track at Munson and was there for four years. In 1971, he transferred to Jay High School, where he was the assistant football coach and varsity boys basketball coach. In 1973, he began coaching track, utilizing the 265-yard baseball field there, due to no track there. McDaniel scheduled all the track meets away, citing the lack of a track at the school as the reason. In 1974, track construction at JHS began, and the track he helped to bring to fruition is still the school's track facility today. At that time, JHS's track was the first 440-yard paved track in Santa Rosa County.

Throughout his career, McDaniel's teams won four consecutive state championships in girl's cross country in 1987, 88, 89 and 1990; finished runner-up in the state championships in 1986, 1992, 1995 and 1996; and overall, won 31 district championships in basketball, cross country and track, winning 12 consecutive track district championships at one point during his long career.

In 1975 he began the warrior relays which was later changed to the Jay Quarterback Club Invitational. Last week, Jay hosted the 48th annual invitational, one of the oldest invitational track meet still existing in the state of Florida.

In 1989, Jay's girls track team finished runner-up in the state championships. During his tenure, he led five different teams to undefeated regular seasons. Consecutive three-year stretch, his team never lost a meet to any team between Pensacola and Tallahassee.

In 1997, Tiffany Williamson Sullivan became the first female in JHS history to sign a division I track scholarship with Florida State University.

Seven more of Coach McDaniel's track athletes eventually signed on with the University of West Florida, one with Troy State University and one with Alabama Southern.

McDaniel's first state champion was current JHS teacher Teresa Scott Dobson, who won the 3200 meter state championship in 1991 with a record time of 11.47, a record which stood for many years.

Several state champions and state runner-ups through the years included Kelly Steely, Crystal Creamer, Tracey Thomas Doyle, Beverly Watson, Sullivan, Sonya Odom, Kim Holland and others in various track and field events.

McDaniel was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1997. Retired in 2003, he was still coaching cross country track.