El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023: Dale Laverty
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Future El Paso athletic hall of famer, Dale Laverty had a pretty stellar track career which still sees him sit atop several record books.
Laverty is a three-time 400 meter intermediate hurdle outdoor champ, a 2-time NCAA track and field All-American for the 400 meter hurdles. His time of 49.45 set back in the early 1980s is still the fastest of any high schooler in El Paso. His 48.72 was the 11th fastest time in the world in 1986 and still sees him hold the record at both UTEP and in the WAC.
“Going into the hall of fame after all those years I ran those times like 30 or 40 years I ran those times and they still hold up is pretty special," Laverty said.
Laverty first started running track in the 5th grade, but it wasn't until his freshman year of high school that hurdling became his event. His achievements in high school earned him roughly six offers to take his talents to the next level. The All-American landed at UTEP.
His time as a Miner saw Laverty qualify to run for USA Track and Field but he needed a USATF card so he started volunteer coaching kids in order to get it. Laverty went on to compete in 16 countries and then started a track club in the early 1990s that is still going to this day.
“I look back and now I’ve had parents bring their kids out and that’s rewarding and then seeing the kids going on to nationals, we just do it so the kids have something to do," Laverty said.
Maybe one day Laverty will train a kid that etches their name above his nearly 40 year-old record. If and when that happens, his name will now and forever be etched in the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame.
