After Baldwin High lost six seniors to graduation from the 2006 team that placed second at the Class 4A state meet, some expected the boys track team to go through a rebuilding season this year.

Led by middle-distance runners Chris Elniff and Caj Kueffer, Baldwin finished 13th out of the 64 4A teams at the state meet and fourth in regionals.

“I was really happy with all the kids this year,” Baldwin coach Mike Spielman said. “They stepped up.”

Spielman, the 2007 All-Area Boys Track and Field Coach of the Year, also deserves much of the credit, guiding the Bulldogs through an upbeat demeanor and a wealth of track knowledge.

“He’s extremely positive. I’ve never heard a negative word from him,” Elniff said. “I can’t imagine having a better coach than Spielman. … He’s a great mentor. He’s a great teacher.”

From warm-ups to diet, hydration, fundamentals and drills, the meticulous Spielman emphasizes the details during practice.

“Every aspect of the sport he’s in tune with,” Elniff said. “He’s got it down.”

Spielman’s expertise comes from a life spent in track and field. After starring during his own prep days in Sabetha, he ran the 1,500 meters and steeplechase at Kansas University under head coaches Bob Timmons and Gary Schwartz.

“I had some different coaches that were really positive influences,” Spielman said.

After graduating from KU, he did not travel far, settling in Baldwin City where he has taught math and coached track at Baldwin High for 17 years. His wife, Angie, coaches the Baldwin Junior High track team.

“Baldwin’s been the first and only stop,” he said. “It just happened to work out for me.”