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To say that
Terry Masterson has seen plenty of Blue Dragon athletic history is an
understatement.
Masterson has
been a part of the Blue Dragon athletic department for the past 37
years, beginning at HCC in 1968. Over that span, Masterson has been a
head track coach, assistant football coach and continues as the Blue
Dragons’ head cross country coach.
Actually,
Masterson and HCC have been connected to each other since 1957 when he
began as a student-athlete here. He was one of the first junior college
fullbacks to combine size and speed. In track he ran low hurdles, the
mile relay and threw the discus. Masterson earned an AA degree at HCC in
1959. He received his bachelors’ degree at Tabor College in Hillsboro,
Kan.
After college
Masterson taught and coached at Inman, Halstead and Ellinwood high
schools and then accepted the job as head track coach and assistant
football coach at HCC in 1968, after getting his masters degree in
sociology.
He began
specializing in women's cross country in 1980.
“The first
cross country meet I ever saw, I coached,” Masterson said.
His Blue Dragon
cross country teams have competed at the national level numerous times.
His 2001 Lady Dragons captured the program’s only national championship,
capturing the Division II crown in Lansing, Mich.
Under his
guidance, the HCC cross country teams have produced several top-10 men’s
and women’s national team finishes and numerous All-Americans.
Masterson’s
philosophy of coaching is simple: “I try to get the best out of a kid.
Sometimes that's to win, sometimes not.”
Masterson “officially” retired from teaching at HCC after the 2005 term,
but will still be a part-time instructor this year.
His wife,
Nancy, retired as a highly respected HCC instructor in 2005. The couple
lives in Inman.
Masterson
can be reached at 620-665-3412 or by
e-mail at
mastersont@hutchcc.edu.
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