Editor,
On Monday at track practice, head coach Matt Henry informed his athletes that he will not be coming back to coach next year. The athletes were stunned by the candid resignation, unwilling to accept the reality of losing their longtime mentor and friend.
For the athletes who have been privileged enough to run for UNM in the past seven years, they know that Henry's dedication to his athletes and program reaches far beyond the red lanes of the UNM track. The small group of athletes sobbed and languished as Henry described the rationale behind his disquietude: The bureaucracy of UNM must be made aware and forced to act. The track program is not receiving enough support to stay alive. Every year, the program gets smaller and smaller - pieces are being scavenged by other programs, and facilities are being devoured by other sports. Despite Henry's efforts to make the program sustainable, the slide has become unstoppable. Henry resigned to wake up those people who didn't take him seriously. He sacrificed his coaching career for his athletes. He sacrificed what he loves to do for people he loves.
The athletes don't want Henry to resign. Even if he is successful in waking up the bureaucrats, the athletes receive a Pyrrhic victory. Money can't buy a coach like the one we are losing. In terms of support from the administration, we care nothing for the new warm-ups or the matching red shoes. I speak for all athletes when I say UNM track athletes would rather run barefoot and naked than run without a leader
like Henry.
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Karl Kalm
UNM track team member
