Sprints, hurdles and jumps specialist Matt Sparks replaced Steve Eles as Lake Superior State’s head track and field coach in August, 2010.

During Sparks' inaugural season at LSSU, seven indoor and nine outdoor school records fell. Season highlights included Jon Allen's second-place finish in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships and his third-place indoor finish. Allen set a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference indoor record of 15.80 meters. Allen (triple jump), Hans Riedel (discus throw) and Ben Charbonneau (javelin throw) won titles at the 2011 GLIAC Outdoor Championships.

Sparks was an assistant coach at Western State College of Colorado for two seasons before assisting at Chadron State (Neb.) in 2009-10. Both are NCAA Division II institutions. He is a 2007 graduate of Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Cal., where he was a 10-time NAIA All-American in sprints, hurdles and relays. He won NAIA national titles in the outdoor 110-meter high hurdles in 2006 and indoor 60-meter high hurdles in 2007.

"I am excited to be a part of Laker Athletics and LSSU,” Sparks said. “There is a lot of potential to build something really special here as a track and field program. Building a well-rounded, hard-working team capable of contending for GLIAC titles is my first priority."

Eles is continuing as LSSU’s cross country coach, but vacated his head track and field coaching position in order to take an administrative position on campus. He managed both programs for five seasons. Eles will continue to work with Lake Superior State’s distance runners.

In 2009-10, Sparks coached Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champions in the indoor 60 and 200-meter dashes and 60-meter hurdles, and the outdoor 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes, 110-meter hurdles and 4x100-meter relay. While at Western State College, he assisted the men’s team to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships. He has coached 10 NCAA Division II national qualifiers.

Sparks also has experience teaching exercise and sports science and physical education courses, managing an operating budget and producing promotions materials. He is working on a masters degree in sports management.

Former Lake Superior State distance standout Steve Eles was named LSSU's head cross country and track coach in August, 2005. He resigned his position as head track and field coach in August, 2010, in order to accept an administrative position on campus, but continues coaching LSSU distance runners and serve as head cross country coach.

Eles graduated from LSSU in 2003 with a B.S. in electrical engineering and spent two years as a graduate assistant at Tiffin University, where he earned a master of business administration degree.

Fifty-two LSSU track and field records and two cross country marks were set during Eles' track and field coaching tenure. Eles coached all-America quarter-miler Adam Smith and all-conference distance runner Katie Scott, who combined to earn nine USTFCCCA Academic All-America honors. Former Laker Ashley Quick also earned academic All-America recognition in cross country in 2007.

As a junior in 2010, Jon Allen won the NCAA Division II outdoor title in the men's triple jump and was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's field athlete of the meet. Allen, Smith (men's 400-meter dash), Anthony Pavicic (men's 1,500-meter run) and Ben Charbonneau (javelin) are GLIAC champions coached by Eles. 

The 2008 men's cross country team was ranked 12th nationally in team grade point average by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Lakers had the highest team GPA among Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools. The 2005, '06 and '07 men's and women's cross country teams also made the national scholar list.

The 2007 Laker men's and women's track and field teams were named USTFCCCA All-Academic Indoor and Outdoor Scholar Teams, finishing 10th and 17th in team GPA, respectively. The LSSU women's track and field team also made the national scholar list in 2006, '08 and '10, while the men's program has been recognized four straight years.

The Sudbury, Ont., native offers extensive experience as an athlete and coach in Nordic skiing. As a runner, he won the GLIAC 3,000-meter steeplechase title and was a national qualifier. He placed seventh in the World Championships Trials in 2003 and 12th in the Olympic Trials in 2004. He finished sixth in the 1998 Canadian Nationals and eighth in 2002.

Eles also earned All-GLIAC honors in the steeplechase, the men's 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs, and the men's 4x800-meter relay. He still holds LSSU's steeplechase record of 9:11.71.

Steve and Sarah Eles have two daughters, Autumn and Alaina. Steve Eles is also a member of the LSSU Department of Mathematics faculty.

Dana Skytta, who is completed his degree in Parks and Recreation Management and Natural Resources Technology, coaches LSSU throwers, and strength and conditioning. He owns personal bests of 1.99 meters in the high jump and 4,777 points outdoor decathlon, which were school records at the time.

Skytta competes in the North American Strongman contests in the under 200-pound category, he qualified and is competing for nationals in the North American Strongman in November, 2011. Dana also competes in Highland Games competitions held around Michigan.