May 25, 2012
For immediate release
With help from City Council’s Bonnie Pannell, kids will race on Burbank High’s new surface
Please join us as hundreds of kids have a chance to run on a new track in the Sacramento Running Association’s (SRA) Youth Track Series.
The meets, set for May 29, May 31 and June 5 at 3:30 p.m., will be held on Luther Burbank High School’s all-weather track in south Sacramento.
“We worked with the Sacramento Running Association, Always Knocking and Luther Burbank High School to secure the track, paving the way for local kids to run on a top-quality surface,” said Sacramento City Council member Bonnie Pannell.
“We’re really excited about that,” said SRA events coordinator Kevin Pool, whose group is putting on the series for the third year. “We’ve never had an all-weather track to do it on. For a lot of kids, it’s like the highlight of their year to come run in track meets.”
The meets, for kids from first through sixth grades, will offer a variety of events. The long jump, high jump and shot put will be contested at all three meets, with a cross-country mile and 100-meter dash scheduled for May 29, the 800 and 200 on May 31 and the 400 and 4×100 relay on June 5.
“It’s a great way for kids to get involved with track and field at a young age and see the different kind of events involved,” SRA meet director Michelle La Sala said. “There really is something for everyone in track and field and the kids get really into it.”
Heather Deckard, physical education coordinator for the Sacramento City Unified School District, said she expects 1,000 kids to participate in the meets. “They can’t always go outside,” Deckard said. “This is their chance to be physically active. The kids are just so excited about being a part of a sport.”
The SRA, which plans to bus kids from their schools to the meets and back, will provide T-shirts in various colors to serve as school uniforms and ribbons for all kids in every event.
A series of all-comers meets is planned for June 14, 21 and 28, also at Burbank. So those over 30, dust off your track shoes and come on out!
SRA is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running events that appeal to a broad variety of runners.
SRA events include the California International Marathon, the Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon, the Super Bowl Sunday 10k Run and the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run.
SRA beneficiaries include the American River Parkway, youth fitness programs, local running venues and aspiring young runners.