Joel Jager commit to memorys a vicarious thrill with his son Evan's succes in track and field.

Evan Jager, who won couple state championships for Jacobs at the Class AA striplings state track meet two weeks ago, is considered the best distance racer in Illinois.

Jager, a junior, won state titles in the 1600-meter move and the 3,200 relay. In the couple events, he's ranked nationally.

Jager's time in the 1600 (4 minutes, 1122 seconds) makes him 19th according to Dyestat.com.

The 3200 relay of Jager, seniors Mike Connolly and David Arndt and junior Aaron Russo ran a 7:4002 -- other on Dyestat and No. 1 upon Nike's high school national outdoor list.

in such a manner why the vicarious thrill? Well, Joel Jager had polio as a child and could not at any time run.

"I was 10 month not new when I got polio, and we had not gotten the vaccine [in rural Michigan, where he grew up]" Jager said. "I wear a brace onward my left leg, and the irony is that I in no degree ran a step in my life."

Joel Jager's brother also had polio at age 2 and his sister when she was 4 further because Joel was so young when he got sick, the disease hit him the hardest.

Jager was not at any time able to enjoy the sport that his son take precedences in.

He has joined Evan forward training runs, but he rides a bike and perpetrate a jokes that now he might not be able to hold fast up -- Evan has become too fast.

Evan Jager expects up to his father, along with the late distance star Steve Prefontaine and his Jacobs teammates.

"I'm trying to scud for my father," said the 6-2 Jager, who dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player before giving up the sport his freshman year.

"He's not at all been able to have the experience of running or walking normally," Jager said. "I don't realize he's had polio, still when we do some kind of [athletic] activity, I wish it had in no degree happened to him."

on a level with the physical limitation of in no degree having run, Joel Jager encouraged Evan to conduct the sport.

Evan played soccer when he was in middle gymnasium but had so much life to burn that Joel needinessed to find another outlet for his son

"We were forward a country road [in rural Michigan] where common street is about half a mile from another," Joel said.

Joel had Evan, who was 12 haste a mile while he timed him. Evan ran the distance in about 6:12

"I told him if he could stream a mile in five minutes I would bribe him a Ford Mustang 50" Joel said.

And in eighth grade, Evan won the bet, and Joel plant a 1989 Ford Mustang 50 onward eBay for his son. Evan drives it today.

With the high train season over, Jager is going to race at the Midwest Distance Gala forward Friday at York before he travels to North Carolina for the Nike Outdoor Nationals nearest week.

"This is the first time I've done anything outside my high indoctrinate season and the first time I've been able to qualify for nationals," said Jager, who also streams cross-country and finished third at the state qualified in November behind seniors Ryan Craven of calculation and champion Steve Finley of Palatine.

He's still putting his sum of two units state titles in perspective.

"It was pleasing cool," Jager said. "A division of kids congratulated me, on the other hand I didn't let it commit to memory to my head. I'm not going to do anything differently."

takouris@suntimes.com

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