Linda Lanker had time of her life coaching U.S. Women’s Track and Field team at Pan American Games

Linda Lanker has had a 48-year nonstop association with track and field.

The longtime area community college and high school coach has been to China and Miami as part of USA Track & Field teams. And she’s a three-time master’s national hurdles champion.

Additionally, Lanker was inducted in January along with former Washington State coach John Chaplain into the Washington State Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Nothing tops her recent experience, though, as the women’s head coach for the U20 Pan American team that won the team championship in Trujillo, Peru.

“It’s the best experience I’ve ever had as a coach,” the 61-year-old Coeur d’Alene resident said.

Lanker met her future team members at the U.S. National meet in June in Sacramento, California. A week later, she called each of the 48 team members.

Then when the team flew to Peru, she had four days to get to know the athletes better before they competed.

“As a USATF coach, you’re there to serve,” Lanker said.

Lanker was appointed head coach in December 2015. She was nominated based on her past experiences with USATF.

“I’ve always gotten high recommendations from the athletes,” Lanker said.

USATF coaches are asked to simply encourage and support the athletes, Lanker said. It’s off limits for coaches to talk to athletes about their technique unless the athletes request assistance.

For Lanker, this is where she encountered one of the highlights of her involvement.

Quincy Hall of Raytown, Missouri, a hurdler on the men’s team, asked Lanker for some technical help. She told Hall he had to ask his individual coach for permission.

Hall’s coach knew of Lanker and gave his blessing.

“Quincy told me he had terrible form,” Lanker said. “I noticed he was struggling with his alternate leg, sort of stuttering going over the hurdles. So I showed him a drill – I had taught it to (former WSU standout) Jeshua Anderson years ago. It’s a four-step drill that forces you to use both legs going over the hurdles.”

He had three days to prepare for his heat in the 400-meter hurdles.

“Quincy was so coachable,” Lanker said. “There were just a couple technical things that we worked on.”

It made a huge difference. Hall won his heat and the next day captured a gold medal, winning in a personal best time of 49.51 seconds and setting a Pan Am record.

“He looked absolutely beautiful,” Lanker said. “All I said to him before the final was, ‘You’ve got this. Give it all you have and the last 150 meters give everything going home.’”

Hall will be a sophomore at College of the Sequoias, a two-year community college in Visalia, California. Lanker said several NCAA Division I schools are recruiting him.

Hall posted on Instagram his gratefulness for Lanker’s help.

“God sent me an angel. Coach Lanker, thank you for everything,” Hall wrote.

Hall plans to spend a week in Coeur d’Alene in October getting additional training from Lanker.

Lanker said there was a big police presence around the athletes at the stadium and hotels.

“Trujillo is the third-most dangerous city in Peru,” Lanker said.

The opportunity to coach the U.S. women’s team allowed Lanker the chance to see the best of the up-and-coming athletes. The team consisted of juniors and seniors in high school and freshmen in college.

“They’re next in line for the Worlds and the Olympics,” Lanker said.

Two other people with ties to the region also assisted the women’s and men’s teams in Peru – Spokane chiropractor Dru Lopez and University of Idaho assistant track coach Cathleen Cawley, who was an event manager for the women.

Lanker was allowed to keep the Pan Am women’s team championship trophy. She plans to find a place for it in her home office.

She wants to continue coaching for another nine years and will welcome any additional opportunities with USATF.

“I feel so blessed,” Lanker said. “Who would have thought at 61 I would have had this opportunity?”