2006 NPAAA Hall of Fame Inductees - North Penn Alumni Athletic ...

220yd. dash; he was fifth in the 100yd. dash. The following year, 1969, Coach Crawford won his 22 nd consecutive
Bux-Mont League Championship title and his last. Bill again won the 100yd., 220yd. and 440yd. dashes at the Bux-
Mont League Championship meet. At the 1969 District One Track & Field Championship, Bill won the 100 and
220 yd. dashes for the second year, helping North Penn and Coach Crawford to its first District One Track and
Field title. At the State Track and Field Championships Bill won the 220yd. dash, making him North Penn’s only
two time State Champion; he was third in the 100yd. dash.
6
In the next 10 years, there were major changes in track and field. The shoes were synthetically made and
very light; the tracks changed from 440yds. to 400 meters. The surface changed from cinders to all weather tracks,
the spikes changed from ¾ of an inch to ¼ of an inch, and Coach Crawford turned the track program over to
Coach James Gulick. In 1981 Coach Gulick’s Track team won North Penn’s first boys Indoor and Outdoor State
Track & Field Championships. Coach Gulick retired and turned the reins over to Coach
Richard Swanker in 1982. In 1989 another superb sprinter emerged, Shane Pratt. Before
Shane would graduate from North Penn High School he would hold every class record in the
100m, 200m and 400m, except the 9 th grade 100 meters (his brother Derek holds that). In
1991 Shane finished the dual meet season undefeated in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. He
won the League Championship in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, setting a league and school
record in the 400 meters, running 47.4. In the District One Championships, he won the 100 and 200 meters.
Advancing to the State Track & Field Championship, he won the 100 and 200 meters, finishing the season
undefeated in the 100 and 200 meters. In 1992 Shane finished the dual meet season undefeated in the 100, 200
and 400 meters. He won the League Championship in the 100, 200 and 400 meters breaking the league and school
record in the 100 meters running 10.2. At the District One Championships he won the 100 and 200 meters and
anchored the 4X100m relay to first place finish. In 1992 Coach Swanker won his second District One Track
Championship. At the State Track & Field Championship, for the second straight year, Shane won the 100 and
200 meters, helping North Penn and Coach Swanker to the State runner up team title. Shane finished the season
undefeated in the 100 and 200 meters for the second straight year. Shane’s 200 meter time at the state meet was a
new school record, 20.9 (21.08 fat). Shane ended his career with all three sprint records at North Penn High
school; 100 meters 10.2h; 200 meters 20.9h and 400 meters 47.4h. These Track records at North Penn High School
stand today in 2006.