Harding students receive running shoes

More than 25 Harding Charter Preparatory High School cross-country team members were sized and outfitted with their own pairs of running spike shoes.

The new shoes were designed to make them “run faster,” said John Beck, Red Coyote Running store owner.

This shoe-fitting event took place at the school when representatives from the three collaborative partners, Fields and Futures, Cleats for Kids (C4K) and Red Coyote Running, brought the shoes to the school.

The team also was given $1,000 to help defray costs of the season, including competition entry fees.

Harding Charter Prep’s crosscountry team is coached by Mark Busick, a volunteer who has coached the team for more than seven years.

The collaborative effort was sponsored by the Simon Greiner Track & Field Program, which was started by Don and Shellie Greiner, of Edmond, in honor of their son, Simon. This is a component of the Fields and Futures program.

Simon was a brilliant runner and inspirational teammate for anyone who ran with him, Shellie Greiner said.

The driving tenants of this program are good sportsmanship and teamwork.

Cleats for Kids (C4K) is honored to collaborate with Fields & Futures and Red Coyote Running to reignite a passion for track and field in Oklahoma City, said Stacy McDaniel, C4K executive director.

In 2017, C4K, Red Coyote Running & Fitness and Fields & Futures came together to provide hundreds of new distance spikes and training shoes to runners at three metro area schools.

Fields & Futures provided support and training for the teams’ coaches throughout the school year.

This fall they worked with Harding Charter Prep, U.S. Grant High School, John Marshall High School and Northwest Classen High School to deliver spikes and trainers to new runners.

C4K empowers kids to live healthier lifestyles and learn life lessons through sports by providing sports shoes and safe equipment to kids in need, a news release stated.

Since 2011, the organization has distributed more than 70,000 pieces of equipment in 98 Oklahoma school districts. Through programs like the Simon Greiner Track & Field Program, C4K has been able to impact 30,000 kids through sports, McDaniel said.