An Eagle Scout project completed by a Washington-Liberty High School junior will support the school’s outdoor track-and-field program for years to come.
Thomas Lee planned, designed, organized, oversaw and helped build the landing area of the shot-put pit for the school’s girls and boys track-and-field teams. Lee is a member of the W-L boys squad as a triple-jumper and sprinter.
His Eagle Scout project was completed over two recent full days of work on Saturdays.
“It was a lot of work and a pretty big project,” the 16-year-old Lee told ARLnow. “I had a lot of help and it went pretty smoothly. I think the project fit a critical need.”
The pit was completed in time for the outdoor season’s Arlington County Championship meet April 8.
The sector’s concrete throwing circle already existed. What Lee’s project did was add the sizable gray gravel pit where shot puts land after being thrown, instead of previously landing in the lawn and mud.
The shots sometimes got stuck in the mud and had to be dug out.
The 1,300 square-foot gravel area is some 64 feet long and varies in width, as wide as 52 feet.
The idea for the pit originated from W-L head track-and-field coach John Bacon. Lee had been thinking of ideas for his Eagle Scout project, so he jumped at the chance.
“We were throwing in a mud pit,” Bacon said. “I am a fan of Eagle Scouts.”
Lee has been a Boy Scout since the sixth grade for Troop 162 in Arlington, hosted by the Westover Baptist Church.
In organizing the project and its dimensions, Lee got help from Washington-Liberty track-and-field throwing coach Maggie Pierce. He also received help from teammates, coaches, his parents, friends of the family and school athletic administrators Justin Bolfek and Kevin Healy.
“The purpose was to have a project that benefited the team, school and community,” said Young Lee, Thomas’ father.
Bolfek and Healy retrieved extra gravel needed in their pickup trucks.
Before the gravel was spread, two inches of grass and dirt had to be dug up and removed using a rototiller, shovels and rakes. Then a layer of plastic was spread over the area to keep grass and weeds from growing through the gravel. When the gravel was spread, it had to be flattened and leveled.
“That was a lot of work and really hard,” Lee said. “We needed all hands on deck.”
Lee hopes to receive his Eagle Scout distinction in the next few weeks.
