DES MOINES, Iowa — St. Anthony Catholic School on Des Moines’ south side is full of pride.

“We will do whatever we can to help out and to make sure other kids got the same experience we did,” Patricia Beck said.

A few years ago Maria and Patricia stepped up when the fifth and eighth grade track team needed a couple of coaches.

“We both had kids that wanted to be on the team and we didn’t want them to not have an opportunity so we kind of volunteered to help,” Maria Zenti said.

Maria and Patricia had the heart to help, but participation dwindled to under 20 students, not to mention there’s not a track in sight. They needed a Hail Mary.

“Answer to the prayers, let me tell you,” Maria said. “It was very much appreciated. He had a plan.”

Drake University Professor Tom Buckmiller and his leadership class were now the proud coaches of the St. Anthony Hawks Middle School track and field team.

“Largely they looked at me as big eyes and said, ‘Wait, we don’t know how to coach middle school track. I said, ‘neither do I, but let’s learn together,’” Buckmiller said.

“T-Buck likes to use the line, ‘We’re building the plane as we fly,’” Reid Stevens, a Lead 100 student said.

And now, they were building a track team without a track.

“I mean they run on streets, so we gotta hold up traffic or do the old ‘CAR!’ when a car comes,” Buckmiller said.

“Usually me as a couch, I’m like standing on a corner making sure that a car doesn’t go through without really knowing what’s up,” Stevens said.

Despite the obstacles, participation has more than doubled.

“It’s not so much the track and field, but it’s the socio-emotional support hyping kids up, making sure they feel special,” Buckmiller said.

“I feel so special, that was my first thought,” a St. Anthony student said.

These 21 college kids have set the bar high for the next coaches.

“Of course if they want to do it again next year for their club they’re always welcome, but if that’s not the case they’ve really done a nice job in setting up to to somebody to take the reigns and not have to do all the homework themselves,” Maria said.

“If we just come in and do this one year and then be done, you know, that’s kind of shallow a little bit. So, what one committee is doing is writing a comprehensive manual. Everything we’ve done step-by-step,” Buckmiller said.

The ultimate class project, leaving a lasting lesson.

“I think one of the biggest things is just how much community can contribute positively to a group of people,” Stevens said. “Twenty-one college kids and three adults who show up for them every single day and care for them and want to see them do their best to they can have a place where they can go, they know they’re going to be supported.”

Metro News: