7-27-2024 1:49pm

Alamogordo's Olympics Connections Five Alamogordo High Athletes With Olympic Dreams

Chris Edwards Editor

As the opening ceremony of the Olympics began in Paris on Saturday the world tuned in with over 3 Billion people from around the globe tuned in. Some people dislike the creativity of the art and pagentry of the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, some challenge the inclusivity of cultural diversity and recognition that the world is indeed diverse, complex and contains artistic expression not to everyones taste, and the Olympics can be tinged in political drama as its history shows.

Whatever one's opinion is of the world of politics, arts snd culture showcased as a part of the Olympics, one thing is a fact the majority of the Olympics is purely about the athlete and sports success.

The Olympics are the purest form of sports competition dating to the Roman Empire and respected by the world's athletes as the highest mark of sports achievement.

The Olympics have had 6 contenders that have had an affiliation to Alamogordo High School and the Alamogordo Public Schools since Alamogordo's founding:

Alamogordo High School Student Qualifer and Competitor, Benny Garcia completed in the 1956 Olympics.

Alamogordo High School won the state of New Mexico track and field title in 1951. During that competition was the amazing Javelin Talents of Benny Garcia with a distance of 193’-01.325.

The following year of 1952 brought Alamogordo High School Track & Field back to the winner’s circle with Benny Garcia winning for the second consecutive year in the Javelin state competition.

Javelin Benny Garcia medalled with 186’-03.50”

Benny Garcia was an excellent Football kicker. He was on the B team. After some injuries and with the objection of his father concerned about him being injured, he became the primary starting kicker. Albert Romero sprained his ankle and Benny became the primary kicker after that. He had a reputation for making it between the goal posts when it mattered most. Coach Buck saw his talents and made concessions to ensure he was able to take part in the school athletic programs. Benny would walk or run 6 miles home in the dark after practice to La Luz.

At the request of Coach Rolla Buck, Superintendent Barnie Caton arranged the use of a driver education vehicle for Benny to use so that he could take part in Sports. The extra effort paid off for the High School and was life changing for Benny.

His real notoriety came from the Javelin throwing. He set the state record that stood from 1951 to 1966. That record got the attention of the Arizona State University Track and Field Coach that awarded him a full ride scholarship.

Benny Garia holds the title as he is the only graduate of Alamogordo to make it to the Olympics to actually compete in the finals taking part in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. He was the first native-born New Mexico athlete to ever compete in the Olympics.

His name is displayed at the Tigers Hall of Fame, Arizona State Hall of Fame, Drake Relays Hall of Fame, and US Navy Hall of Fame. At the 1956 Olympics he finished 8th place, disappointing Garcia but making his hometown exceptionally proud. Garcia went on to live a phenomenally successful life as a high achieving Tiger Alumni and a respected businessman in Arizona. He died in 2015 but is fondly remembered for his contributions to the history of Alamogordo.

A total of individuals as students including Garcia above, and one Alamogordo High Schook coach each competed and qualified in the Olympic Trials, they include:

Debra Scott, she was was the second graduate of Alamogordo High School and a State Champion Alamogordo High School Volleyball Coach to become an Olympic Trials Qualifier.

Art Keller Alamogordo High School graduate class of 1972 In the Navy he was entered into the AAU contest, and he ran a 10.028. He was invited to the military Chisholm Games in San Diego. He ran the 100 meter and 4 X 100 Relays. He set records there. He qualified for the Olympic Trials but was not able to compete by order of President Carter because as a member of the Navy he was not allowed to speak out about the Carter ordered Boycott of the Moscow Olympics that year. When he returned, his commanding officer threw a newspaper at him and asked why he did not know he was a capable athlete. The commanding officer then told Keller he wanted him to prepare for the Olympics.

Mark Sanchez who was an Alamogordo High School graduate state medalist, won multiple college meets and was an Olympic Trials qualifier. He came back to Alamogordo and served as a counselor and an educator for Alamogordo Public Schools for over 13 years.

Rene Sepulveda the son of Legendary Coach Bob Sepulveda. He was a graduate of Alamogordo High School in 1983 graduated from Idaho State University in 1988. He was a four-year letter winner in track and cross country. He was 1987 NCAA qualifier and earned Big Sky all-conference accolades in the 5,000-meter run, 3,000-meter steeplechase, the 4 x 800-meter relay team and the distance medley relay from 1985-87. Sepulveda is Alamogordo only two time Olympic Trials qualifier for the 1996 and 2000 Olympic trials with an “A” standard in the marathon. He earned a Double Masters Degree of Public Health in Epidemiology and a Masters of Health Promotions Sciences at Oklahoma.

And finally respected and well respected Coach Dan Columbus ended up at Alamogordo High School after just missing a top spot in the Olympic Trials for the 1968 Olympics of which John Carlos qualified and made a statement to the world!

Dan Columbus prior to being a Coach for Alamogordo High was a great collegiate level athlete. He was selected as a Track & Field All American in 1968 from Colorado State University. He held the record as an All-American sprinter from Colorado State University from 1968 until 2004. Dan’s record of 21.0 in the 200 held at Colorado State for 36 years,

Dan Columbus qualified for the Olympic Trials at the NCAA Track and Field Championships June 15th, 1968, in front of a crowd of 17,500 onlookers with a 3rd place finish in the first heat with a time of 21.2. First place went to Bill Hurd of Notre Dame with a 20.8, Second Place went to Ben Vaugh of Georgia Tech with a 21.1 time. In the finals Columbus scored a time of 21.0, qualifying him for the Olympic Trials.

Athletes who qualified went to Lake Tahoe for high altitude training and competition as alternates for each event. Dan competed in the 1968 Olympic trials with Olympic legends Tommie Smith who won with a time of 19.83, a new world record, and bronze medalist John Carlos. Thus, another Alamogordo connection.

Coach Columbus remembers of the Olympic Trials that he was “just outside the inner circle of these fine athletes.” The race itself was on a cinder track and an extremely competitive field of athletes. The Olympic Trials were one of the proudest days of Dan’s life.

During competitions he also ran against OJ Simpson and beat him. OJ didn’t like a lot of the small talk on the track and “was also just outside the inside group of the leaders; Tommie Smith and John Carlos. OJ made the comment that Dan will always remember; “I’ll be making money when you guys are sitting around talking about changing the world.” OJ was not well regarded at relays where he competed nor at the trials and did not qualify for the Olympics.

Locally history has proven the intersection of sport, culture and politics will always cross. Alamogordo City Commissioner and mayoral races locally have been won and lost based on the results of Alamogordo Football, when one actually studies the history over the decades. Some Coaches are recognized as hero's, those that mold young minds positively and navigate local politics and help launch Olympic qualifiers some would say are the true saints of education. Alamogordo has a history that is rich, at times controversial but never boring.

The Olympics and Alamogordo High School's connection to the development of Olympic Athletic skill and accomplishment is just one of many stories of the rich history of Alamogordo High School student success.

Source: AlamogordoTownNews.org and excerpts from Coach Bob Sepulveda: The Early Days, Coach Bob Sepulveda: The Hveem Years written by Chris Edwards and sold on Amazon and fine independent book sellers acrosd the nation.