He was competing at a track meet in City Park when the famous Frank “Tad” Gormley approached him with some tips for improving his long jump. Al Seither was only in sixth grade at the time, but the attention and encouragement from the “rough and gruff” old pro stuck with him.

A plaque with Gormley’s image hangs outside of the Loyola Rec Plex. But after this season, a new coach will occupy Seither’s old office. Loyola’s track and cross country coach for the last five years will retire after more than four decades of coaching in the city.

Loyola hired Seither in 2003 to head the cross country and track program. That year the women’s team placed first in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championship and qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National meet.

In 2004, Seither helped the men and women’s teams both achieve conference titles and send four individual runners to compete in the nationals.

“I had really upstanding athletes at Loyola,” Seither said. “They were just good people.”

After graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University, Seither found his first job in the profession as an assistant coach. Holy Cross School hired him as the football coach in 1966 and in 1971 he started one of the first cross country programs in the area.

He was a middle distance runner in college, but over the course of his career, Seither learned to coach effectively at all the track and field events. In the ’70s he coached world-class pole vaulter Greg Duplantis, who achieved high school records in the events, and in the ’90s he coached discus thrower Andrew Pack.

Seither coached best when building close relationships with his athletes. He strived to work individually and develop his athletes’ confidence the way Gormley had with him. Richard Bouckaert, who qualified for nationals twice while at Loyola, said Seither helped him cope with the death of his father. “I definitely looked to him more than just just a coach,” Bouckaert said.

Never one to yell, he said his athletes understood to behave, train hard and make practices.

“They don’t have to be state or conference champions just as long as they understand what they’ve achieved for themselves,” Seither said. “They don’t have to have an Olympic time, just as long as they strive for their personal best.”

Seither said some of his fondest memories took place during his last five years at Loyola. Although in the last year the teams have struggled with recruitment, he said he has enjoyed watching his runners develop and achieve success for themselves.

After retiring, Seither plans on spending more time with Erin, his wife of 39 years, and watching his four grandchildren as they grow up and compete in sports.

This weekend Seither and the track team will travel to Hattiesburg to compete in the University of Southern Miss Invitational.

Steve Heath can be reached at [email protected]..