Chadron State College Athletic Hall of Fame
As a child, Kyser developed rickets, a disease which prevents bones from maturing properly. His mother thought he would never walk. His parents took him to the Mayo Clinic, where they were told to give him large doses of cod liver oil. It paid off.
As a senior at Hay Springs High School in 1955, Kyser won the long jump and the 220-yard dash and placed second in the 100 at the state track meet to score enough points for the Hawks to tie for the Class C state championship. There were 128 schools in the class that year.
Kyser continued to excel as a sprinter and long jumper at Chadron State. He nearly always placed high in both events and ran on some superb relay teams. He finished seventh in the finals of the 220 at the NAIA National Meet in 1958 and had collegiate bests of 9.7 in the 100 and 21.7 in the 220. His long jumping exploits included setting the record of 22-4 ½ at the Midland Relays in 1958 and stretching it to 22-6 ¾ the following year.
Kyser also was a highly successful coach, leading track and field teams to state championships at Akron, Colo., Alliance and Pine Bluffs, Wyo. Several of his teams at Kemmerer, Wyo., his last coaching stop, placed second or third.
