WYLIE – The late Jim Carlisle, a former Wayland Baptist assistant track & field and cross country coach who became a renowned track & field official, was posthumously inducted into the Texas Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame here Friday.
A USA Track & Field Officials Hall of Famer who served as an official at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Carlisle was a retired high school counselor at Wakeland High School. He officiated as a referee and technical official at all levels of the USATF circuit including youth, professional and masters, as well as the world championships, Texas high school championships, and numerous NCAA and NAIA conference and national championships.
He recently served as the official certification chair for the USATF Southwestern Association. At the 2019 USATF annual meeting, Carlisle was honored by the Men's Track & Field Committee with the Roy Griak Distinguished Service Award.
At Wayland, which Carlisle often credited for blossoming his love of track & field, he served as a student assistant coach under Dr. Bill Hardage from 1974-76 and became the first fulltime track & field assistant coach. He helped coach several conference and district championship teams as well as numerous NAIA cross country and track & field national qualifiers and all-Americans.
Carlisle lived in Carrollton, Texas. He died July 11, 2020, at age 65.
(Thanks to Jack Gilmore for his help in recognizing Mr. Carlisle.)
