Wayne Merkh
The mile run has long held a place as one of the premier events in track and field. Wayne Merkh, the first inductee into the 2007 class of the Haddon Township Athletic Hall of Fame, is inextricably linked with the mile having dominated his competition throughout his high school and college careers. Save for a second place finish in the Camden County meet in 1968, he won every mile race, dual and championship meets, in which he competed on the Haddon Township track. He captured the Camden County, South Jersey and South Jersey Meet of Champions titles in both his Junior and Senior years and came agonizingly close to State championships both years with a second and a third place finish. Not surprisingly, he was named to the All-South Jersey teams both times. His contributions led to team titles also, including a sectional and State title in 1969. Wayne was one of the key contributors to the Hawk Cross country teams. He and classmate Ken Medlin (a 2003 inductee into the HT Hall of Fame) paced a dominant squad in 1968 that won sectional and state titles. Following high school Wayne had an outstanding college career at Camden County College and Glassboro State College where he again set records and won championships. Following graduation, he coached cross country and track at Holy Cross, turning out numerous championship teams and was named as South Jersey Girls Track Coach of the Year in 1981. Wayne now lives in Voorhees with his wife Patricia and they are the proud parents of John Paul, Samantha, Thomas and Daniel.
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