CAZENOVIA — On April 26, longtime Cazenovia High School (CHS) cross country, indoor and outdoor track coach Kurt Wheeler achieved his 100th career win in Girls Varsity Outdoor Track & Field.
Wheeler, who also teaches history and government at CHS, earned his 100th and 101st wins during a “double dual” meet versus Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) and OnTECH Charter High School. The results of the competition were 122-18 against CBA and 136-3 against OnTECH.
“Every day coaching these kids is a joy,” said Wheeler. “For me, the satisfaction is in the journey. This has been especially true since COVID in 2020 when we lost our spring season. We literally treasure every day.”
Wheeler started out as a volunteer assistant track coach at CHS in 1997 during his first year of teaching. He was hired as an assistant in 1998 and took over as head coach in 2004 when Rich Fratini retired.
Since then, Wheeler has missed only one season, in 2007, due to mobilization for the Marine Corps Reserve and deployment to Iraq.
This spring marks his 17th season as head coach.
“Mr. Wheeler has inspired hundreds of people over these years, and I was so honored to get to meet and work with such a humble and encouraging coach and teacher,” said Katie Pavelchak, a senior on this year’s track team.
Wheeler has also dedicated many years to coaching cross country and indoor track.
He began coaching girls varsity cross country in the fall of 1997. In the winter of 1996-97, he started a student running club that turned into an intramural team in 1997-98 and an interscholastic team in 1998-99, at which time he became the coach of the combined boys and girls squad. The program has since developed into separate boys and girls teams that average over 40 athletes per squad each winter.
Since 2004, Wheeler has led his outdoor track team to nine regular season Onondaga High School League titles (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021) and three Section III titles (2010, 2011 and 2012). The team also won the Liberty Division Championship Meet in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021.
In 2004 and 2012 respectively, Lakers Heather Stec and Paige Biviano won state championships in the pentathlon for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, Division II.
According to Wheeler, the 2012 season, which the team finished 9-0, was particularly memorable.
“We had girls competing in six events at the state championship meet and we medaled in three of them, including Paige’s gold in the pentathlon and a silver by our 4×100 meter relay team,” he recalled. “That team set school records in 10 of the 23 events that we keep records for in that one season. There are no team championships for track and field above the sectional level (only individual), but I believe that would have been a state champion team if given the chance.”
The 2010 season was also notable as it marked the first time during Wheeler’s tenure that the team went undefeated and won league and sectional titles.
“Last year and this year are also special in their own way because we are all so appreciative of the opportunity to have a team and to compete after losing our season in 2020,” Wheeler said. “On a personal note, I have been lucky enough to coach three of my four daughters, including Faith who is a junior on the team this year.”
Melanie Michael, a senior, described Wheeler as the heart of the girls’ track program.
“Not only is he invested in every girl’s individual success, but he is also always committed to making the track team a supportive and welcoming space,” she said.
As of April 27, Wheeler’s head coaching cumulative record was 101-10.
According to Athletic Administrator Mike Byrnes, the coach has developed a formula for success over the course of his career.
“It is no wonder he has climbed to the 100-win plateau so quickly despite the limited number of meets a track team competes in each season,” Byrnes said.
He also noted that Wheeler continually attracts some of the school’s top athletes to the track program and develops a team atmosphere in which everyone is valued, regardless of individual prowess or talent.
“[That’s] quite an accomplishment for a sport that is much of the time individually based,” Byrnes said. “He is also super competitive and works his teams hard to be prepared for their meets and events. I would say that because he has instilled such values and discipline into his program, the wins have become a product of the routine, hard work, and his good decision-making ability by putting his athletes in the best positions to be successful each and every [meet]. When we step foot onto the track, I know our team has an edge over the competition thanks to Mr. Wheeler being our coach.”
Wheeler said his favorite thing about coaching track and field is the idea that every athlete is competing against the stopwatch or the measuring tape and has the chance to achieve their personal best at each meet.
“We really celebrate ‘personal best’ and ‘season best’ performances on our team,” he said. “One of my highlights each week is crossing off old ‘bests’ on our season performance list after a meet and writing in new personal records. We had 38 new season best performances on Tuesday for example. The most fun aspect is watching athletes achieve goals they did not think were possible. It is a great metaphor for life with effort, perseverance, and teamwork all playing huge roles in our success.”
To finish off their season, the girls will compete in dual meets on May 4 and 11, invitationals on April 28 and May 21, and the league and sectional championships on May 16 and 26.
Wheeler said he also hopes to see many of the girls competing at the State Qualifier Meet on June 2.
“It is truly a blessing to be coached by Mr. Wheeler,” said Mary Williams, a senior. “He is a dedicated and passionate man. Coach Wheeler does everything from planning the intricacies of our whole season to running the individual track workouts with us. I can’t imagine the track program without him.”
