Mark Sutherland

Football and Track & Field - Class of 1977

"Mark Sutherland was a star athlete at Shawnee Mission South in both football and track and field. He was an selected for the All-State team in football in 1976 as a defensive lineman. However, as good as he was in football, his greatest accolades came from track and field. During his senior year, he broke the National Federation of High School Athletics indoor shot-put record with a throw of 67' 51/2". Mark was a versatile track and field athlete – which can be seen when he also set the national record for the sprinters hurdle event in the same meet. During the outdoor season that year, he also threw the discus. In discus, Mark threw 202'3", which at the time was the 2nd farthest throw in US high school track and field history. In the 1977 season, Mark established himself as the premier thrower in the country. Interestingly, one of the most significant impacts he had that season was blazing a path for future shot-putters by using the rotational style technique. It was new at the time and was just gaining acceptance. Mark was a significant part of shot-put history. For his exploits that year, Mark was selected as the 1977 Kansas City Sports Commission High School Athlete of the year. Two entire generations of track and field athletes in Kansas have come and gone in the last 42 years, yet Mark still has the 3rd longest shot put and the 4th longest discus throw in Kansas high school history. In addition to being an elite athlete, Mark was also a significant mentor to younger athletes. Clint Johnson, a member of our Inaugural Hall of Fame class, credits Mark with helping him when Clint was a young thrower. Clint says, 'Mark's tremendous achievements and personal mentoring as a young thrower was one of the main reasons for my own success.' Mark, the Shawnee Mission South community welcomes you to the Raider Athletic Hall of Fame – you are now where you belong."