Photo by: Rawls College
Texas Tech Introduces Inaugural Jarvis Scott Open
February 16, 2022 | Track and Field
Scott was the first head coach for cross country and the women’s track & field program
LUBBOCK, Texas – Head coach Wes Kittley has announced that the final regular-season indoor track & field meet Friday afternoon will be named after former Texas Tech cross country and women's track & field head coach, Jarvis Scott.
"What a great opportunity we have to honor our women's program and especially a tremendous icon in Jarvis Scott," said Kittley. "I want to honor our past and we did it with the Corky Classic and I thought there's nobody more fitting than her. She's just meant so much to this community, to the history of our program and I'm just so proud that we get to honor her."
Scott was born on April 6, 1947 in Waco, Texas before she moved with her family to Los Angeles at the age of nine. She started running at David Starr Jordan High School where she became the first female to compete in in track & field. By the age of 21, Scott had qualified for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics in the 400m and 800m, becoming the first American to accomplish such feat. She would give up her spot in the 800m to her friend Francie Kraker in an act of solidarity as Scott would go on to place sixth in the 400m finals.
Scott started her coaching career in 1977 at Cal State Los Angeles – where she is now in its Athletics Hall of Fame – and would make her way to Lubbock in 1979 as the first head coach for both the men's and women's cross country programs. In the process, she was also the first head coach of the women's track and field program. Scott would hold both of those roles up until her retirement in 1991.
Scott was heavily involved in track community but also remained in Lubbock. She lectured at multiple sport meetings that were sometimes put on by the NFL alongside with Olympic and American track & field legend, Jesse Owens.
On September 29, 2017, Scott passed away at the age of 70. Her legacy lives on at Texas Tech from becoming the first African American head coach for any sport to helping develop the cross country and track & field programs to what they are today.
"What a great opportunity we have to honor our women's program and especially a tremendous icon in Jarvis Scott," said Kittley. "I want to honor our past and we did it with the Corky Classic and I thought there's nobody more fitting than her. She's just meant so much to this community, to the history of our program and I'm just so proud that we get to honor her."
Scott was born on April 6, 1947 in Waco, Texas before she moved with her family to Los Angeles at the age of nine. She started running at David Starr Jordan High School where she became the first female to compete in in track & field. By the age of 21, Scott had qualified for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics in the 400m and 800m, becoming the first American to accomplish such feat. She would give up her spot in the 800m to her friend Francie Kraker in an act of solidarity as Scott would go on to place sixth in the 400m finals.
Scott started her coaching career in 1977 at Cal State Los Angeles – where she is now in its Athletics Hall of Fame – and would make her way to Lubbock in 1979 as the first head coach for both the men's and women's cross country programs. In the process, she was also the first head coach of the women's track and field program. Scott would hold both of those roles up until her retirement in 1991.
Scott was heavily involved in track community but also remained in Lubbock. She lectured at multiple sport meetings that were sometimes put on by the NFL alongside with Olympic and American track & field legend, Jesse Owens.
On September 29, 2017, Scott passed away at the age of 70. Her legacy lives on at Texas Tech from becoming the first African American head coach for any sport to helping develop the cross country and track & field programs to what they are today.
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