Saturday marked the second and final day of the 2012 Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 1A, 2A, 3A state track and field championships, and the return of the event to Selma left a good impression on those who attended.

After hosting an AHSAA state track and field meet for the first time since 1990, Selma is not only getting positive reviews from coaches and athletes, but those who came along with them as well.

Michael Martin, whose son Jon Martin ran for J.B. Pennington High School in the meet, said he had a good time in Selma and things seemed to run smoothly.

“I enjoyed it. The guys gave a good effort today, everyone participated and it was just a good time,” Martin said. “I heard a couple times where they wanted guys to come to the shot put area and this area or that area, and it takes a lot of volunteers to run this, but from what I saw it ran very smooth. Every race was run right after another. I’m pretty happy about it.”

Felicia Young came to Selma to watch her daughter Laquadra Russell compete for Sheffield High School, and while she’s used to attending the event in Birmingham, she said things went well in Selma.

“I enjoyed it and it was run pretty fast,” Young said. “This is first time I’ve been in Selma because usually it was up in Birmingham, but it ran fine up here. We enjoyed it up here, too.”

Pauline Nelson, who had four children competing for T.R. Miller High School, said the meet was good overall and she enjoyed Selma’s hospitality, but there’s some things she’d like to see changed in future meets.

“I enjoyed the meet, but I felt like there should have been more shade for the athletes because my daughter sat out there for probably an hour in the heat for the triple jump,” Nelson said. “I think they should have allowed coolers in because it was a little expensive, but overall it was a nice meet. They did a good job, but the best part of the meet, I think, was just that surrounding Selma is so beautiful and the people in Selma were really sweet.”

Greensboro High School boys track and field coach Xavian Evans said he remembers coaching the state meets in Selma back in 1990, and the improvements since then are noticeable.

“I was coaching another school back then when it was 1A-6A, and it’s much more efficient with the three classes,” Evans said, “and I noticed the renovations and the upgrades that have been made here, which made it a pleasant place to be. Everything went well, I thought, for the first time it’s been back here since then.”