Ledyard Relays Going 31 Years Strong

There's nothing more frustrating than being part of a large, disorganized athletic invitational.

Whether it be a YMCA swimming meet, track and field event or wrestling invite, poorly planned mega-sporting events can ruin a day for an athlete, coach or parent. A lousy experience could prevent a team from coming back, thus making a disorganized invite an event headed for the endangered species list.

The Ledyard Relays track and field extravaganza has endured for 31 years and commenced over the weekend at Ledyard High.  Veteran Colonel coach Dave Tetlow, the event's Meet Director, and boys' coach Kyle Grifftin know their organized staff of officials, coaches and volunteers are the reasons why teams keep coming back.

"Over the years, we've got the organization down to a science, which cuts the day down to five hours," Tetlow said. "We draw over 1,000 athletes from 18 schools, boys and girls teams, so it's a major plus to be able to wrap things up by 3 p.m. With many track invites, you're there from 10 in the morning to 6 at night."

Efficiency and fun have made the two-day Ledyard Invite an annual mid-season appointment for most local schools and cross-state squads, such as Daniel Hand and Middletown. Relays highlight the order of events, and Tetlow has added creative license over the years to include all aspects of track and field.

Aside from the standard running relays, the Ledyard event includes pole vault, discus, javelin, shot put and jumping relays (adding distances from three competitors). Tetlow, a hurdler in college, introduced the shuttle hurdle relays to scholastic track. Hurdles are set in different directions to allow a hurdler to run a 110-meter race in one direction, slap the hand of another after finishing to allow them to run the other direction.

The weight person relay stands as perhaps the Relays' signature event, allowing the heavier and more muscular shot putters and field throwers a chance to lumber around the track.

"We've tried to make it a real fun event and unique, mixing standard events with unique ones," Tetlow said.

Ledyard's boys' and girls' squads enjoyed a productive weekend. The girls' squad, which has the look of a state title contender, took five firsts.

Cedar Nelson (12:17.1) and Lindsey Ackley were 1-3 in the 3,200 meter run. The team of Ally Loy, Emily Loy and Kylie Fustini won the high jump relay at 14-feet-2, just two inches off the meet record. The Loys joined Chenoa Sebastian and Kaylyn Bruciati to finish first in the 4x100 meter relay in 51.1.

Austin Graber, Darien Lopez and Jamie Burton won the pole vault relay in 22-feet-8. Natasha Griffith, Naomi Hutchins and Adedoyin Ladoja won the shot put relay.

The Colonel boys' sprint medley relay of Joseph Carter, Adam Ensley, Ben Bruciati and Steven Burger won in 3:49.1. Josh Lawrence, Bobby Chestnut and Austin Sabo teamed to finish third in the discus relay at 322-10.

"I believe (the Ledyard Relays) has endured all these years primarily because of Dave Tetlow," Fitch coach Rich Kosta said. "He consistently produces a quality, fair and well-run track meet where kids can earn a whole lot of awards and have some real fun without the dynamic of a team score."