Scott Coe watched his son Michael become a state running champion at Cabrillo High without the benefit of an all-weather track to train on more than a decade ago.
Scott also remembers the tough time he himself had as a prep athlete at Lompoc High, trudging around the dirt track at Huyck Stadium back in the ’70s.
He knows as well as any, it’s past due time for an upgrade.
Now the Chief Marketing Officer at CoastHills Credit Union, Scott Coe is proud to be able to spearhead the Credit Union’s fundraising campaign to support the Lompoc Community Track & Field Project.
“Lompoc has produced some of the best athletes on the Central Coast,” Coe said. “They’ve always been worthy of top-notch facilities. This campaign is about folks like us who’ve attended or sent kids to school here helping make sure our future athletes have the support they deserve.”
The Project includes plans for a nine-lane rubberized track as well as a brand new synthetic turf field for football and soccer. Athletes from both Lompoc and Cabrillo would benefit from the facility upgrade, and community members would have access to exercise in the safe, well-lit environment during off hours, too.
“This is about more than just a track and a field,” Coe said. “This is an opportunity for everyone in the community to take steps toward improving their health and fitness.”
CoastHills is now collecting donations for the project at its locations in Lompoc, Vandenberg Village and on Vandenberg Air Force Base. For every dollar donated at a branch, through the Credit Union’s online portal or by phone at (800) 262-4488, CoastHills will match up to $25,000 in accumulated donations.
“Our Credit Union has been serving the Lompoc Valley for 60 years, since just a few years before the track and field were built,” Coe said. “What better way for our members to show the strength of collective support than to give this project such a huge boost.”
Above left, Scott Coe runs a track and field event for Lompoc High at Huyck Stadium in 1978 as his father Bob times the race. Center, Michael Coe runs around that same track as a junior high athlete for Vandenberg Middle School. And right, almost three decades after his dad, Michael races around the dirt track for Cabrillo High. Below, Scott and Michael pose together during Michael’s high school career.
