David Anderson

Cross Country and Track & Field - Class of 1989

"Dave Anderson was the first great distance runner at Shawnee Mission South. Dave was a mile-runner at a time when the mile was the gold standard of distance running. His training and competitions were run on the old cinder tracks, which were much slower than the track surfaces of today. Nonetheless, Dave ran a 4:21 mile as a sophomore. As a result, the elite "Track and Field News'' recognized Dave as the Number 1 sophomore mile-runner in the United States. As a junior, he lowered his mile time to 4:14, and placed fourth in the National Junior Olympics. However, it was his senior year in which Dave really excelled. He was the first individual athletic champion in the history of Shawnee Mission South. He won four individual Championships during that year. In the extensive cross-country and track and field history of Shawnee Mission South, four State Championships in one year is still an unmatched feat. In 1968, Dave won the State Cross Country Championship, the State Indoor Mile Championship, the State Outdoor Mile Championship, and the State Outdoor Two-Mile Championship. This record of four championships in one year will likely never be broken. Upon graduating from Shawnee Mission South, Dave ultimately became a teacher and coach. He even coached distance runners here at Shawnee Mission South. In sports with such a rich history as cross country and track and field, it takes a very special athlete to stand out. Dave, welcome to the place you were destined to be - a cherished member of the Raider Athletic Hall of Fame."