Going for gold
Fun and games for young athletes at Lodi High’s track
On a sunny and mild spring Saturday morning, approximately 400 elementary school students gathered to see who were the strongest and fastest at Lodi High’s Don Womble Field.
The Lodi Unified Youth Track Meet held its annual meet that has been going on for more than 25 years. According to Ruben Gomez, who teaches physical education in the district, students in grades fourth through sixth participated in many field and running events. All participants attend an elementary in the Lodi Unified School District.
“The main goal of the meet is for the students to have fun and experience the competition with students from other schools,” said Gomez, who is also the Tokay High boys soccer coach.
The youngsters flexed their muscles in the following field events; standing long jump, softball throw and the running long jump. Lacing up for the running events, the students could run in the 50,100 and 400 meter races, and the 4x100 meter relay. Each student was allowed to pick three events to participate. That didn’t count being members of their relay teams. Trials were held in all events, followed by the finals with the top eight in each event.
The turnout put smiles on the faces of Gomez and Scott Kannel, a PE specialist in the school district who helped run the event.
“Usually there is between 300 and 400 students who attend,” Kannel said.
Elementary schools that participated Saturday were Ansel Adams, which brought 80 students, Beckman, Clairmont, Creekside, Davis, Elkhorn, Ellerth, Mosher, Heritage Primary, Houston, Joe Serna Jr., Muir, Julia Morgan, Lakewood, Lawrence, Live Oak, Lockeford, Lois Borchardt, Manilo Silva, Needham, Nichols, Oakwood, Parklane, Podesta, Reese, Sutherland, Victor, Vinewood, Wagner Holt, Washington, Westwood and Woodbridge.
The Ansel Adams’ track and field members went the extra mile in taking part at the meet. They wore uniforms that were sky blue T-shirts. On the front of the shirts read Ansel Adams Strong with the army symbol in the middle of Ansel Adams and Strong.
“They practiced after school for a month to prepare for the track meet,” Kannel said.
The meet is run by the elementary school’s physical education staff. Members of the Lodi High and Tokay High track and field teams generously volunteered to work the event this and over the years, notes Kannel.
Along with the Lodi and Tokay track and field teams and coaching staffs donating their time as timers and judges, the Lodi Physical Therapy hands out ribbons that the Lodi Physical Therapy has donated.
“I believe that we had almost every elementary school represented by at least few students,” Gomez said.
Results of students taking part in the various track and field events will run later this week in the News-Sentinel.