Sheaner remains the meet director for the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays, which will enjoy its 46th meet this year. The meet begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at Jesuit's Haggar Stadium. The meet started as the Jesuit Relays in 1964 but was renamed the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays in 1975, when Sheaner retired as the school's longtime track coach.

The meet always attracts the best prep track and field athletes that Texas has to offer. And a big reason why is Sheaner, who puts in hours and hours of time calling, emailing and writing track coaches in an effort to attract the best possible field every year for the meet. He's built great relationships with coaches and athletes over the years and is a great promoter of his meet, but his genuine interest is in the kids who compete in the meet and the sport of track and field. Sheaner gets a lot of help every year from his son, Mike, who does a lot of the leg work to make the meet go off without a hitch. Herb Sheaner was inducted into the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association inaugural Hall of Fame class this year.

Herb Sheaner has a great personal story to tell as well. He's written a book called the Prisoner's Odyssey that, according to its Web site, is "a story of survival, hunger and reflection from a teenaged prisoner of war inside Germany near the end of Wordl War II. From capture at the Battle of The Bulge to the final escape from his German guards, the author allows us a glimpse into the despair and agony of being a prisoner in a foreign land."

I encourage everyone to give the book a look -- you can purchase the book right here -- and if you run into Herb Sheaner at the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays on Saturday at Haggar Stadium, stop by to tell him hello and thanks. The conversation will be well worth your time.