Geertgens Returns to Competitive Track

By WRILEY NELSON
GREENSBORO, NC

After taking a few years off to play pickleball, Doug Geertgens, formerly of Hartwick and a member of Hurley’s Heroes Track Club of Oneonta, competed recently in the USA Masters Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. Geertgens, 80, competed in the triple jump, long jump, 80m hurdles, high jump and 100m dash, winning gold medals in the former three events and placing fourth in the latter two. These performances currently rank him first in the U.S. for the three gold-medal performances in his age group.

“I’m very fortunate and pleased to be able to be competitive,” Geertgens said.

He served as principal of the Cooperstown Elementary School from 1980 to 1998. Shortly before his retirement, an acquaintance introduced him to competitive running.

“I had never been on a track team, but I had coached it,” he recalled.

Geertgens first competed in the 1998 Empire State Games and then attended USA Masters Track and Field tournaments for the next five years. He traveled to Australia for the 2001 World Masters Athletic Championships and to Puerto Rico for the 2003 championships. The 2023 USA Masters was his first time back on the track in nearly 15 years. Many of his competitors were old rivals from previous events.

Geertgens started playing competitive pickleball five years ago and has competed in the North Carolina Senior Games for the last three years. He will return to the courts in the men’s singles and doubles events in October.