When scores of track and field athletes, coaches and fans converge at Ridgefield High School for Friday’s 2A sub-district meet, many won’t realize there’s a track and field legend walking among them.
Wearing a ballcap — possibly of the Washington State or Pac-12 Conference variety — T-shirt and jeans, Rick Sloan is a rather unassuming figure.
These days, he is known simply as a volunteer assistant coach at Columbia River High School. He is a grandfather of a Rapids freshman, helping out with the throwing events while she attends the school.
Sloan’s lengthy history in the sport, though, is rivaled by few. In 1968, Sloan placed seventh in the decathlon at the Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He later coached at Washington State for 41 years before retiring in 2014. He has coached 108 college All-Americans and trained several Olympic athletes.
Now, he’s offering his services to local high school throwers.
“I just think the thing I missed about coaching was the interaction with the kids and contributing to their development,” Sloan said. “I spent an entire career acquiring a certain level of knowledge. It would be waste for it not to be used.”
Sloan moved to Vancouver from Pullman to be closer to his four grandchildren in 2015. Logan, a freshman, and Ellis, a seventh-grader, live next door to the 74-year-old and his wife, Sandy. Walker, 10, and Hudson, 8, live in Portland.
Logan DeJong, his eldest granddaughter, with her long arms and athletic frame has always showed a propensity for track and field’s throwing events. She trains with Sloan at a small weight room in his garage.
Sloan’s first volunteer position after leaving WSU was at King’s Way Christian when DeJong was in middle school. He made the transition to River alongside her this season.
Much like the athletes Sloan coaches, DeJong didn’t know the extent of her grandfather’s success in the sport. She was taken aback when coaches approached him at events just to meet him.
“I don’t think I even realize how much of a legend he is,” DeJong said. “I just know him as grandpa.”
Sloan makes a conscious effort not to step on his fellow coaches’ toes. River boys head coach Art Sandison is still the WSU men’s record holder in the 800 meters (1:45.4), the only men’s record that stood throughout Sloan’s time with the Cougars.
“My role is to follow instructions and do what I’m asked to do,” Sloan said.
While there are significant differences in the level of athletes from college to high school, at the core coaching is just teaching, Sloan said. And he knows how to teach.
“People respond to different cues in different manners,” Sloan said. “Your job as a coach is to find the teaching cue that elicits the response you want.”
Finding that shared language means taking a step back, listening, observing and communicating, Sloan said.
Sloan’s future with Columbia River is still to be determined. He’d like to be out there next year if he’s still physically capable.
Said Sloan: “If they’d like to have me back, I think it’s something I would enjoy continuing to do.”
