Courtesy Jon Woodbury
The five inductees from the 2024 Utah Sports Hall of Fame class pose for a photo (from left to right): Kyle Beckerman (soccer), Kevin Gates (benefactor), Rod Tueller (Utah State men’s basketball and athletic director), Craig Poole (track and field), Lindsey Anderson (track and field) at the induction banquet at the Little America hotel in Salt Lake City on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024.
The Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation had its induction ceremony Monday night at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. A total of five people were inducted including two with ties to Utah County in current Utah Valley University head soccer coach Kyle Beckerman and former BYU women’s track and field coach Craig Poole.
“I’m truly honored, this is really neat and something that will last forever,” said Beckerman. “Sometimes as athletes, it’s on to the next and on to the next. This was a night just to remember a little bit and show some thanks and that you’re appreciative.”
Beckerman came to Utah after being traded to Real Salt Lake in 2007 and quickly made a huge impact on the franchise becoming a fan favorite and a captain of the club. In 2009 Real Salt Lake won the MLS Cup.
Beckerman represented the United States in the World Cup in 2014, was a 9-time all-star in the MLS and played more games (498) than any player in league history. He is recognized as one of the 25 greatest players in league history as the midfielder was both known for his adept passing and rugged toughness.
Beckerman fell in love with the Beehive State and plans to stick around for a while.
“This (Utah) has become my home now,” Beckerman said. “I love the mountains, I love the people, my wife is from here, my kids were born here, I have roots here, I have no plans to go anywhere.”
As for Poole, he had a long and distinguished career in Utah as both a high school and college coach. Poole actually started his teaching and coaching career at Churchill Junior High in Salt Lake, then went to Skyline High School where he coached five state titles in both boys and and girls track and field before being recruited by Clarence Robison to coach the women’s track and field program at BYU.
In his 30 years at BYU, Poole coached 14 individual NCAA champions, six of which competed in the Olympic games, along with 15 top ten finishes in the NCAA tournament including four top four finishes at the NCAA track meet. Poole was also on the coaching staff in the 2004 Olympic games, and even though in his 80s, still works with professional track and field athletes while currently living in southern California.
“I think it’s awesome,” Poole said about being inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame. “I was just taken back and really surprised by this honor.”
Poole has been additionally honored by being in the USA Track and Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame and was the recipient of the Coach of the Year award for indoor track and field in 1998.
Poole said it was hard to pinpoint any of his success stories as a coach that really stood out.
“There are so many people I had close relationships with,” Poole said. “If you got me started, I would never stop.”
Poole was known for his cerebral approach to coaching and at BYU taught a sports psychology class along with his coaching duties. In his acceptance speech Poole said, “coaching is the only profession where you lose sleep about another parent’s child.”
Weber State All-American Lindsey Anderson, who also competed in the 2008 Olympic Games in the steeplechase, was also an inductee.
Additionally, former Utah State men’s basketball coach and athletic director Rod Tueller was honored, along with benefactor Kevin Gates, who through his Marshall Gates Foundation built the baseball field at Kearns High School which has hosted the high school state baseball tournament for many years along with a developmental league that included two future National League MVPs in Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant.
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Publish date : 2024-09-10 12:57:00
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