Track announcer Mike Jay gives back with shoes and scholarships

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Every sport needs a Mike Jay.

“His passion just rubs off on you,” said Hudson boys track and field coach Blaire Puls. “His passion for the sport, his passion for giving back, his passion for helping any athlete that he can.”

More than just the voice of track and field in the state of Iowa, Jay has donated over 450 pairs of new shoes to athletes in need through his Track Guy Foundation.

“Expensive shoes is a fundamental entry point,” said Drake Relays director Blake Boldon. “Mike has helped to eliminate that barrier to entry for so many kids.”

Puls coaches a thrower, Drew Roberts, who couldn’t find any throwing shoes because of the pandemic shortage.

“We just made that one phone call to Mike, the next day we had the shoes that we needed in the mail for us,” Puls said.

“Pretty much no thing as size 14 throwing shoes,” Roberts said. “It’s so nice that I can compete.”

Through the Track Guy Foundation, Jay has granted twelve $500 scholarships to graduating seniors, and he is hoping to increase that to $1,000.

“I have seen Mike inspire other kids to be philanthropic as high school students,” said Boldon. “To see his giving inspire they giving out so many others really is the agent of change that is so impressive.”

“He goes out of his way to always do more then what is asked of him,” Puls said. “Never wanting any recognition, never wanting any financial pay. He just does it because he loves it.”

Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved.