Day 3 Lots of Fun, Fast Semis and Finals…. Here We Are At Day 4

Day 3 July 30th,2008

Today,Lauren ran the 100 semi’s and qualified first her heat 2nd over all. First over all is Symone Mason has Pr’ed and looks like she is on a mission for Gold.  Her previous PR was a 14.60 she ran a 13.88 with finals to go. Good Job Symone!  This race will be tight for the title of National Champion .

The 800 Meter Finals

This is fast becoming my favorite spectator event. Every heat was exciting ,and a couple of new records were set too!  Daesha Rodgers finished off another 3 Gold Medal Season with her 3rd and final victory in the 800m with a finishing time of 2:32.11 at this point she only runs against the clock and the clock went a little faster today.She was hoping for a new record but the clock ticked two seconds to fast.She was a little disappointed but, her big smile came out on the winners podium and all was well.

Bantam Boy Duwan Hylton  broke the Bantam boys record setting the new one ,at  2:20.21

 Today July 31,2008

the 200m semi’s, Long Jump For the Bantam Girls Lots of Hurdle finals…

See all the AAU Championships Results and Heat sheets Here

 

                                 

Day 2 July 29th,2008 AAU Junior Olympic Games

 Good Morning 7:25am

Just checking in.. The 200M is today for Lauren at 1pm.There are so many heats on average for the Primarys through Midgets 10 each. Lauren is in heat 8 lane 5.Friends we are here with also have 200m boys races. Region 15 Bantam “Fast Boy” Jalen Nailor will be also running today in the sub-bantam divsion.Yesterday he ran a 13.4 and seeded first .Dad was very happy.   Primary boy, Jalil Jefferson Knoxville, Tenneesse also ran a great race. Finishing first in his heat. Look for my fav girls to PR and even break a few records  too!  Later…..

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It’s 8:30 pm and  I am trying very hard to catch up with my post. There is just so much going on please go to AAU Results  to see a complete list of all events and results thus far.

 TrackMom’s, “This Is Why I’m Hot” Wrap Up for Today, July 29,2008

With Super Nova Speed primary girl  Amari Lipscomb of  Wichita, KS is postioning herself to a 3 gold medal week. She kicked it off with a masterful win in the 400m 1:07.27 just barely missing a new National record. Watch for her in the 200m and the 100m also.  Congratulations to a true Champ in the making.

 My favorite Sub -Midget girl  Kaleigh Winner   Did what I said, and most important what she said she would do a  Personal Record 59.77  6th place finish WAY TO GO!!!  

 Sub Bantam  Fast Girl Phenom Daesha Rodgers  Won both the 1500M with a new National record  5:08. 05 she makes the 1500 a sprint with much excitment, That isn’t even her PR and the 400m 1:04.43 again not even her PR. To watch her run is like watching a girl much older.  Her focus and competive engagement is  a joy to watch.

 Congratulations to  California’s Sydney Tullai’s and her great Silver Medal run in the 1500m  5:35.41. 

Jay Nailor of Southern California flew to a fast finish 28.19 to advance in the Sub- Bantam boys 200m , Primary boys Jalil Jefferson  and Willie McKnight  looking to continue advancing to bring home  first time medals on finals day Saturday. 

Once again Lauren Williams  and Sydney MacLaughlin lead the sub-bantam 99′ pack in the 200m 28.79,29.88 respectively. 

The Midgets girls 200m were stand outs today with  Aleia Hobbs  25.87 and Hannah Cunliffe 25.95

 Of course my favs wouldn’t be complete with out  Aaliyah Brown  fresh off the  crowd pleasing USATF Championships,with a technically flawless 200m and 100m she is aiming for a rare and impressive double Championship Titles. Stay tuned the best of the best is yet to come.

Tomorrow is the 100m semi’s Stay tuned…

Wait For Us… Let’s Catch Up And Move On Day 4 and Day 1

 July 27th ,Day Four Final(ly) Over….

 Well this has been a learning experience to say the least. In the end the trip was okay. I say okay because, I am used to so many things, for starters, easy seamless Internet access, a car to get around with out depending on the kindness of an already over worked,never paid sometimes(often times under appreciated)  Quiet Fire’s Head Coach Shelton Hall. : )

 And so today (July 27,2008) began…I couldn’t sleep all night, tossed and turned .Not worrying about Lauren, worrying about getting out of Omaha on time and with no extra expense. We hadn’t planned originally for Lauren to run the 100m ,as things unfolded during the week she wanted to try for a medal .At first I didn’t want her to run because of the plans we already had for going to Detroit, but as the week progressed I woke- up realized that it is an honor to be able to qualify to even come to JO’s then to qualify for a final. I couldn’t let her miss an opportunity.

At that point ,I was very much prepared to do what every it took (pay almost 400.00 more dollars additional in airfare fees, drive to Detroit to allow her to run on finals day . Anyway the hardest part was done she was here already qualified. What was I thinking??? TrackMom Is learning too : )

 Well after a lot of praying,a whole lot. We got our flight lay over (we went to the airport at 6:30am)and changed the flight to a standby status) to Chicago exactly at the time we wanted and got back to the track at 7:45am at 9am she ran her 100m final. Lauren finished 7^th  and this is her first of what I hope are many more USATF Junior Olympic Championships.  Immediately after she crossed the finish line we left the stadium and my great track mom friend Stephanie Holloway,took us to the airport  at 9:22am after watching her daughter take 3^rdin the midget division. We were on our way to the airport. All went well, we( all) got on the plane with no time to spare and here I am now typing from O’Hare  Airport Chicago,waiting for the flight to Detroit. I think I am relaxed now…..

WAIT FOR US!!!

How quickly things change,in the time I typed those last words yesterday (July 27th) at 2:30 pm our world got turned upside down AGAIN. They had  just called the flight so I stopped writing ,when I went to the counter the lady was extremely rude and said to me that there was not  going to be ANY more flights with stand by seats available until tomorrow morning ,Monday July 28th .2008 and then nothing was guaranteed..  WHAT?????? OH NO….more drama (%^$#@) oops I mean  Darn  :- (

What’s A Track Parent To Do???

Henry said “We are going to have to drive to Detroit,  lets go get a car and move out”. I was in a way relieved becaused I didn’t want to get a hotel at the airport for the night to much money… ,no sleep and then worry until we got on the flight about making the starting time of the AAU 100m Quarter Finals at 2:00pm EST sooooooooooo the Williams were off on a mini road trip to Detroit from Chicago,IL. roughly a -4-5 hour trip. Well ,that is if you know where you are going.  We did not . I called a trackmom I knew in Illinois to help get us to Detroit, she was already in Detroit so she help get us going. Start to finish  it took us from 4pm to 11:30 pm to get to our hotel In Detroit, MI. What a long day. All and all it was not a bad trip once we got going in the right direction : - )

Lauren slept a lot of the  time ,we stopped for some dinner and a couple of snacks for the road then we were off.While Lauren slept  we talked alot about the experience we had in Omaha. Our personal ones,Lauren’s performance, our expectations of the meet ,other teams performances and the conversation went on and on. In the end I can say it was just okay. I really didn’t know what it would be like. I only had last year’s AAU Junior Olympics in  Knoxville, Tennessee to compare with in terms of a large National meet. Well, the venue was a high school,a nice ,big high school but a high school all the same. Where the school and surrounding hotel  was wasn’t very pedestrian friendly at all. No walking distance food or shopping. I hated this part because we didn’t have a car, getting food other than the hotel food  was a pain in the rear to get.

My sisters were laughing at me because they know I REFUSE to buy food that is over priced and taste like wood..so  I missed many meals while in Omaha. I don’t have a large appetite so I don’t really care to much about eating ,but those other Williams do , and they did eat at the hotel regularly . I think eating is over rated… (hahaha) I call it the TrackMom Diet.Free apples and oranges at the counter. That is about all I was eating the first couple of days then we found a great  place that delivered sandwiches so I had that 2 times over the 4 days and one day the over worked coach took us to pick up dinner on the way from the track.Another evening Lauren and Henry went out with the team one night (I didn’t feel to good, maybe malnuorished ?NAH.. Hehehe , Just heat exausted .We did have dinner with friends one night, which was a great treat. We ate at the Cheese Cake Factory,but that night I wasn’t hungry  so I just had veggies any way.  I felt like a prisoner in the hotel,sometimes I didn’t have water ’cause they ran out or I didn’t want to pay $ 2.00 a bottle so I waited.It became a principle thing with me and I wasn’t giving in.All I could think of is it will be better in Detroit a car, Target, Walmart (which I love on these track trips but never get to at home. a nice room,Internet access for free that works, Lauren running in her age group ,getting some confidence back(more on that another time) close to the track,friends from all over the country I have meet on TrackMom and person ones from the last years meet…Motown Mueseum Just to name a few things..

The weather wasn’t too bad.One day it was wonderful can’t remember which one now.The vibe, If I could use the word was a bit stiff and stoggy,not a lot of smiles .Most volunteer were friendly .  It seemed more like work than fun for the kids. Alot of kids with nothing to do after a day or two.Very boarded.(this may happen at AAU as well not sure.) It seemed very controlled in a not pleasant way. I am not sure I have the right words ,if any of you were there help me out  and tell me you impressions of this meet. There were a good number of athletes ,but I know there were going to be more at AAU. 

Would I go again,Of course… Probably next year..Will I look forward to it has much as I did  AAU? Probably not. I am glad I have a choice to go either or both (well that is if I have the funds. I would probably not go like this back to back meets again. Way To Hard and too much can go wrong with your timing.It can be done ,but for my first time it wasn’t a great experience. Lots of mistakes and missed steps to having smooth sailing. 

This is a part of the learning curve to becoming a great TrackMom I guess.

DAY ONE FOR LAUREN AAU Junior Olympics , DETROIT MICHIGAN

Well I have many more funny stories about getting to Detroit,but I will save them for another time. We are now at AAU and I feel as if I am about to run.  It was so exciting this afternoon  to see so many athletes,and the stadium was Huge…I guess it could hold over 50,000 people. Lots of seating . The  volunteer staff  was a dream, extra kind,going out of their for me when I was having trouble getting Lauren’s packet. Lot’s of smiling faces again, may familar from last year.  More to come on the first day expereince tomorrow.. I have to pass out now before 3 am comes…  Lauren Qualfied for the 100m Semis with a first place finish and a first place seed. Horrible start and she is losing valuable time there so Henry’s going go work with her some more. He thinks she will need the whole week to really run her best to close out this season,time will tell. 200m QF tomorrow

Until Next Time 

Day 3 Upsets and Victories…

 Sprinters Revenge Day

It’s 8:30pm and I have managed to grab a moment to the PUBLIC Computer again for a quick update. Today was the 200m bantam girl show down. Victoria Powell took home her 2nd Gold medal of the meet and I must say,she made it look effort less.Quiet Fire’s Janette Paul came in a not to close 2nd and Morgan Davis rounded out the top 3.

Today was the exact opposite of yesterday,a great track and field day all races were on time or just about and….the weather was near perfect with a light breeze and in the shade it could almost be slightly chilly at times.(probably just me,I run a little cold sometimes.)  I got to talk to lots of track parents and coaches today,watched most to the meet from the stands and it wasn’t uncomfortable….The track gods were merciful : ) well with the weather anyway…… The bantam girls relay favorite 3M track team from Northern California was the favorite.Until the baton was dropped..yep the same place Quite Fire dropped theirs the day before…My heart sank….these girls have lead all year long. A tough lost for the girls in blue.

My favorite races of the day….. 200m Youth GIrls Aaliyah Brown Illinois Elite brought the crowd to there feet as she passed by Robin Reynolds for Gold .This race match up was a long time in the making and for Illinois ,the timing was perfect. Both girls ran amazingly well.Look for them both tomorrow in the 100m . 800m  Intemediate Boys Quite Fire’s Elias Geydon once again shows the crowd a perfect race ,so perfect in fact the time would have place him first in the California state meet this year!!  You always get the idea that he was just jogging, he runs so smooth and comfortable. Way to go Elias.

There were many more  great races,and it was so easy to watch the finals of these races today. Everyone continued to say all after noon and it is the truth “Once you get to National Championships for many you have to start over ,not knowing where you will end up,throw you times out, only the time you can qualify with matters….. Well I am throwing Lauren’s times and rankings and everthing out tomorrow. Seeded 8th out of 8 barely making to the finals I am so proud of her. Many say she’s a lower bantam she has time, I say, Lauren your time is now because tomorrow isn’t promised  so you go for it….  And go for it she will..

I can’t even begin to guess what place she will be in ,but what every place she will take home her first medal from the USATF Olympic  Championships and I am totally  proud and overjoyed. My nine year old is happy to be in the group.

Last thoughts

Yesterday,I was sitting under a tree resting a while from the intense heat and humidity when some young girls walked by me slowy and were talking about the meet when one said as she stopped to get her friends attention,”I just want to take home a medal, I don’t want to go home with out one”. Her passion was so sincere, It helped me to remember how easily parents and athletes can  under value the effort it takes to  earn a medal.How special it to stand in the top  8 and recieve one out of the hundreds only a few will actually take a medal home .

Enjoy and Apprecite your Victory !!

 

Until Next Time

Day 3 Junior Olympic Championships…… Happy Birthday Lauren Rain

It’s almost 9:30 am and I am just now getting to the public use  computer. I am hoping AAU leg of this trip is better al around.Yesterday was a hard day. Lauren ran the 100m and got a great start but not so strong of a finish and somehow qualified for the finals…8th and final spot.She continues to have a great time and it was her birthday yesterday so she was in an extra good mood. I was disappointed a little not seeing the Lauren I am use to seeing (not winning the heat but a great race)but,this is part of the sport….Up’s and downs…. Important take home for parents..IT”S NOT ABOUT US (I know this but it feels like it sometimes.)

Next the  Bantam GIrls 4×100

The promised  great race and the excitement was in the air….The gun went off and our first leg ran a great leg,at the hand off something went wrong and all could see was a bouncing baton and the crowd saying OOOOOH……I sat down at that point.It was heart breaking.Janette finally got the baton and passed it to Lauren,Lauren passed the baton to Taylor and she ran it in to a fourth place finish. 1:01 something…

When Lauren came back to the stands she was crying . When I asked her why she said that they really wanted to win.  she also felt  bad for her team mates at the exchange,not anting them to be sad or blame themselves. She doesn’t cry at losses but this one was the first one of the season since 3M in Phoenix Invitational. They were all counting on a great race. Once again this is Track and Field.This meet is not for the faint of heart… Run fast and steady or go home.

I watched a few more races saw some great performances then,I began feeling a little sick,I think it was because of the heat and not enough water.I felt as if I was going to pass out.So We went back to the hotel a little early and tried to rest.Lauren stayed at the track to watch more races.

 Day 4 the Bantam Girl 200m

TODAY IS THE BIG DAY 1pm …Victoria Powell, Janette Paul and Morgan Davis . The race between Victoria and Janette has been building all season and this is the moment,the race we have been waiting for. Both athletes are poised for Gold. This is the race along with the 400m in the bantam division not to miss.  

The relay finals are today as well and 3m looks very strong and prepared. Good luck and a great race for all.

Until I get to a computer again….

Day 1 and Day 2 At The USATF Junior Olympic Championships

My Day 1 USATF Junior Olympic Championship

I realize some have been here already a full day , But today is my day 1 so we start from today. What a travel day it has been.I won’t bore you with any details this go round.Just glad we are here. It’s now 10:45pm July the 23^rdand I am officially trying to write something for today but the internet connection is not  cooperating, so I am writing this on  a word doc and going to try and go down stairs in a few and try and put this evenings post up.

  I am playing Chris Botti and trying to unwind while Lauren has completely passed out over 40 minutes ago to my very mellow music that always puts her to sleep.(That’s why I play it ),she actually likes it and looks forward to relaxing to it when we are out of town ,in a hotel.

 

Hotel Critic

We are staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. I have stayed at others, most recently Phoenix, Arizona in April for the Phoenix Invitational. This property is “Sucky”…If I can get a signal in some of the less than desirable motels we have stayed in during the , I would expect no less from this one. Guess I was wrong. All they keep saying is.”Wanna use my connection down here?”..NO, That why I brought my computer silly, I wanna use it UP HERE IN MY ROOM.

 The over all room rating is barely above standard and it smells like cigarettes although they Swear this is a non smoking room, it looks like it is 7 years past ready for a makeover. I brought my disinfectant spray; I am using it,’cause they look like they don’t. For God’s sake this is Omaha, not L.A. I expected it to be more bang for my husbands hard earned bucks. .Nope enough about that…

Opening Ceremonies

We went to the opening ceremonies this evening and it was very nice and short. A few introductions and a great march of the athletes, with almost if not all regions represented. I am not sure but it appeared that my region 15 had the most representatives. Again, I am not sure why this is. Based on what I know about the other regions it looks like we have the most because more of our Region 15 athletes participate in the  USATF JO’s predominately, rather than AAU JO’s.  The other regions seem to favor slighty AAU or both on a year to year choice . Number wise a good showing at almost 6,000.

 AAU is projected at 9,000 for the track portion and 4,000 for the other sports. There will be many to continue on to AAU as well In the days to come.

 On to the Track

If I could get online and review the results I could have talked more about some of the results today but I can’t so I can only highlight a couple of events I know about and look forward to tomorrow events.

Can You Say Hail to the Queen “Victoria Powell”, Bantam Girl Gold medalist and new National Record holder in the Triathlon today. With a decisive victory today begins her Olympic quest for 3 gold medals in the triathlon, 200m and 400m. In quite a show stopping performance, giving us a glimpse of the domination she possesses in the 200 and 400  back stretch run. These races aren’t for the faint of heart. The line up for the final 8 will have to bring their “A” Go fast Or Go Home Game and some one elses too! If they intend on giving Queen Powell  a challenge worthy of Gold Medal Contention.

 

As most of you may know Lauren Willams, Janette Paul and Morgan Davis are the opponents which pose the most obvious oposition to gold on finals day . 

 See ya tomorrow I hope…

Day 2 USATF Junior Olympic Championships

Yeah I finally got a signal, Okay I am sitting in the hall way  at 9:30 pm , just outside my room but, I got a signal.

Here,we go.Girls 200m. Lauren looked very nervous at thre blocks and when the gun went off  I could tell something wasn’t quite right….she was 4th after the curve and things were not looking so good.Turn over occured at the 130 and she placed 2nd behind Morgan Davis of Houston .

It just wasn’t enough today and for the first time ths season she will not be in the finals. Losing is part of winning as I always say. I think this lose is more difficult because her time wasn’t good, her race wasn’t her normal race.This is not an excuse more of an observation.Morgan Davis first place finisher  in the heat ran a brilliant, determined race and that is how you get to finals.Go fast or Go Home…Lauren is going home for this year in the 200m maybe next year. Races are not won on potential or performance times and ranking ,but on the track .

Lauren took the not qualifying well.Dad not as well, Mom not as well as Lauren better than dad. : ) I really wanted her to get to finals. I felt that she had it in her to go top 4. Perhaps another year. She says “mom,it’s over and I will run better tomorrow” , I know I didn’t run as good as I could”.I beieve that to be true.

She is in great spirits and we had dinner with the Powell family this evening and she was happy as a clam,even dad is better. They sang happy birthday and in the big picture this was a good day.Tomorrow is Lauren’s 9th Birthday and we sang happy birthday to her this evening after dinner. She was very happy for the candle and little bit of ice cream.

  Other races that are heating up  tomorrow are the  4×100 girls relay. 3m has been a dominating force all season in this relay favorite.  They promise not to slow down going for Gold as Quiet Fire looks to find it’s own magic to finish first.

 In the Bantam Girl 100m  Morgan Davis promises to continue to turn up the heat on the competition looking to qualify tomorrow and my  Sunday take home to additional medal to her silver medal in the triathlon from Tuesday.

My final thought of the day

So far the meet seems to be running very smoothly and it will be interesting to compare the AAU JO’s to  this meet. The stadium in very nice . Today’s weather was kinda yucky  and wet very wet early on.After the 200m races the rain stopped and it was just a little humid and sticky.But we expected that.  The announcer is a little less than exciting. I had hoped he would be able to give a few more details on the athletes(last year champion etc.. I suppose he may not have been given that information to share. His voice is almost monotone and some times he missed announcing so of the athletes,before they ran. 

The volunteers have been very polite and gracious. People hare pleasant and I haven’t seen any rudness in the stands. That makes me very happy. it was so exciting seeing the athletes so focused yet having so much fun on and off the track. Lauren is having a very good time and says she can’t wait tuntil next year.I guess she is planning ahead. : )

There are so many California athletes here I almost feel like home.

I just want to say good luck and run your best to all from Region15 and ever  one from around the country .

Over all people have been great and more than few even have said Hello to TrackMom. My favorite part  after watching Lauren meeting all the new track mom’s and dad too!

Well we are up tomorrow very early and hoping for the best for Lauren. In the 100m and relay. I will keep you posted.  On my hotel today..The connection problem remains but I got one so what if I have to sit on the floor in the hall way to get it.  The customer service to try and fix it was I must say very good.They tried , just no go…. Breakfast was okay ,just okay…I am not thrilled with this hotel,it’s not the first time it won’t be the last. OH WELL 

 Until  Next Time

Should The World Record Book Be Wiped Clean Because Of Steriod Use ?

Good Morning from OMAHA,I have a complete post from yesterday but I am unable to get internet service in the hotel Crowne Plaza , to transfer my post from the word doc to trackmom. I will try and catch up later today,these public computers are hard to get to once the youth athletes get here : )  HAVE A GREAT DAY HOPEFULLY  I WILL TALK TO YOU SOON! 

 Lauren and Jannete run the 200m today…. Go Quiet Fire!!

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Imagine a day when a line may be drawn under every world record in the  record book. Would it be a fresh start for athletics, or an unfair measure on legitimate champions?  Do we over emphasizes the performance measurement ? Should we focus more on the actual competition of our youth athletes, not just the record breaking potential of our youth athletes?  Does the non record breaking race take away from the excitement we have for our  youth athletes?  I agree to a great degree with Reynaldo Neimiah’s view point(see below) What do you think? ”Spikes The New Heroes of Athletics“  interviewed a few athletes recently.See what they have to say……..

Renaldo Nehemiah (USA) - Former world 110m hurdles record-holder 

“Times have destroyed the sport and the pursuit of times and for me they should be irrelevant because when you go to the Olympics Games the only thing that people care about is who won the gold, silver and the bronze. They really don’t remember the times. The foundation of the sport was always about competition, but the foundation of the sport today is not about competition, it’s all about performance. We’ve lost sight of performance and what made this sport go. As soon as the athletes realise they are not being incentivised by performance the true essence about what the sport is all about will come back. Fans will be embraced again because there will see competition. The performance is in the competition. It is not in the clock.”

Sanya Richards (USA) The two-time Golden League jackpot winner and 400m sprinter

“That is such a touchy subject and so hard to say. The world record is what it is and if I want to be remembered as the best quarter miler in the world that I have to surpass it. I do think that if I did (go ahead with Year Zero) we would have a new dimension and excitement because people love to watch world records because world records are broken so rarely, so in that respect it is cool proposal. As regards taking existing world records away I don’t know how fair that would be because the athletes were never caught.”

  

Greg Foster (USA) - Three-time former world 110m hurdles champion

“I’m kind of for it and kind of against it. I speak personally that not everyone has used steroids. I can honestly say that and believe it. Unfortunately, they have been some that have gained financially as well as athletically. It is kind of hard for those who have not, but we have no way of knowing that. It is not a bad idea but it is a tough decision to make. Being an athlete and loving the sport I cannot believe that everyone was cheating. I know my team-mates and myself I can only speak for those that are around.  They are some world records that look like being there for a long time to come. But how do we know that these up and coming athletes are going to be clean? With science the way it is people will always think of bigger and better ways of cheating.”

What to Wear

What to wear this August in Beijing? Olympic athletes will rely on the best gear in the world to perform at their peak. Here’s  a little “peak”  (from jay Hicks of Preracejitters) pun intended : ) at clothes and shoes the Olympic athletes are using to have the hottest,fastest summer ever. Don’t forget the other shoes he introduced us to not so long ago.

Photos: Thomas Hannich

 

Nike AeroFly

“When 100-meter world record holder Asafa Powell takes off, he’ll get extra lift from his AeroFly spikes. Instead of the usual stitched fabric panels, the uppers are strengthened with Nike’s Flywire technology: criss-crossed cables woven from Vectran liquid-crystal polymer threads-the same stuff used in the Mars rovers’ airbags. The cables resist stretching to retain lateral stiffness and conserve forward momentum. The aerodynamic skin covering the web is so light and thin you could be forgiven for thinking Powell’s kicks have been painted on. Best yet, they weigh a mere 6.6 ounces.”
 

 

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

As usual My friend Jay Hicks of PreraceJitters.com the best Elite Track and Field site in the Internet Universe share these cool shoes…Check It out.

 

 

With the ‘08 Olympics less than a month away everyone is catching the Olympic fever. Puma has released the 1968 Olympics based model, their performance shoe for the ‘08 Games.

Nike Air Max 2003!

 

 

 

 

It’s Here!! The 2008 USATF Junior Olympics Has Arrived

For the Youth  Track Athlete these next two week is the defining moment for the season. Much like Beijing for our American Elite Track and Field Athletes this is their time to SHINE.

Those of you traveling  To either championship Best Wishes and a save, fun filled trip  as your athletes do their very best.

 It’s here….The 2008 USATF Junior Olympics starts tomorrow. It seems just like yeserday we were planning for Phoenix Lauren’s first meet of the season. Now..it’s Championship time and Lauren’s in it…Wow 

We are traveling  to Omaha, Nebraska Wednesday morning at 6:40 am.(Some how I keep forgetting I don’t like these early flights when booking)and leaving  Omaha for Detroit on Sunday Morning 6am for Detroit, Michgan For the National AAU Junior Olympics. 

 Over the next two weeks starting July 23rd  through August 3rd I will be writing about the Junior Olympic experience/my thoughts Laurens’ and Henry’s too. I will share her event progress, how she is feeling as well as a few of the athletes and parents I have a chance to meet.

Today is Henry’s last day of work.He is working at LAX today (overtime for LAPD) and saw the first wave of Quite Fire  athletes leave ,about 7 in all. He said they had shining faces and looked very excited about the trip. These athletes were traveling with a coach chaperon and his wife . My friend Elinar’s son was in this group.Henry said he looked particularly excited and happy to be with the team. I promised him I would watch out for him while I was there,hey it’s working out so far. Elinar they are on the plane safely : )

I am doing last minute everything today packing,shopping more packing ,just making sure I have what I need for almost 2 weeks of travel. The Williams household is excited.Lauren is double excited and wondering just what we are going to do for her birthday on the 25th this Thursday.Well besides run… I am going to get her a DS today and give it to her tomorrow when we leave.Maybe a little birthday party after the meet on Thursday. Her birthday  always falls during championships. Last year I had a party early ,but this year no big celebration just travel and fun with her team mates.

Here are some things I thought about, might want to write down as you prepare for Junior Olympic travel you may remember this post from a while ago check it out if you have read it yet.

Traveling Tips For National Championships Part 1

 More Travel Tips

 

•  Confirm flight reservations 72, and hotel 48hours before flight arrival. this is a piece of mind issue  making sure you didn’t overlook any thing and airlines didn’t change the flight .
• Make sure you know the  correct time of departure and arrival
• Write hotel reservations and flight conformation numbers in a separate book or paper.(I use a little journal that fits in my purse.I never leave home with out it.
• Write down all contact numbers for hotels parents etc in this same book not just your cell phone.If  your cell dies and you can’t charge it or it is lost you could be in some big trouble.
• Bring your charger for cell phones and all electronics to be used.
• Optional…Lap top computer.I bring it all the time because it is so helpful finding places,Lauren plays games,we can watch videos on it.Of course I can write TrackMom on the road too!
• Print out all directions you need immediately upon arrival,how to get from airport  to hotel, hotel to stadium ,registration location etc. 
• Print out schedule of events. I always to this because it is so handy to know when events you might want to see areas as  well as your own athletes events to plan ahead for arrival. They don’t allow late reporting ,your athlete can be not allowed to participate if he or she is late don’t let this happen to you. 
• Copy of AAU, USATF Card and Birth Certifcate.Again Because we were unattached last year,I was very catious about having every piece of documentation.Probably really not needed at this point but just in case I carry it.  
• Medical Cards.Last year Henry had to got to urgent care and it wasmuch easier with the proper information at hand.

Extras

• Printed National Records sheet. I print the records so as I am watching I really understand what I am watching and who. This makes it more fun for me, maybe even see a few records fall in the process.
• Rankings  sheet. I do this for the same reason as above. I like to get to know the athlete and times that got them there.

Have any tips you would like to share?  E-mail me

Trackmom1@gmail.com

Until Next Time

Special Olympics

Special Olympics mark 40th Anniversary

Chicagoan Anne Burke saw potential in all kids

Rick Morrissey   

What gave 23-year-old Anne McGlone the big idea that she could change the world?

“Well, nobody told me I couldn’t,” said Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, nee McGlone.

In truth, the goal was much more modest back in 1968: To give people with special needs the opportunity to compete athletically and to show their families that what had previously seemed impossible was more than possible. It was absolutely necessary.

Big things often start little, and given the right amount of nourishment and the proper care, they grow. But nobody thought Special Olympics would blossom into what it is today, an international movement involving 175 countries. It was supposed to be a one-time deal, helped by a $25,000 donation from Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the Kennedy Foundation.

Burke was a physical education instructor at West Pullman Park on the Southeast Side when two Chicago Park District officials asked her if she had any ideas about further helping kids with special needs.

“I said, ‘I don’t know. I’m 23 years old,’ ” she said. “All I could think of was to put on a track meet. So they asked me to come downtown and try to work it up. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this was something other than what it was-that is, to first of all teach kids that they can run, they can twirl a baton, they can learn to swim. They can run, even if it’s only 2 feet. They could all do something.

“More important, the parents and the family members never thought these kids could do anything. Now they realized that their child was a member of their family who could do things. Now they could go bowling with the family. That was really the only thing I had in mind.”

The first Special Olympics took place July 20, 1968, at Soldier Field. About 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada ran, swam and played floor hockey. The first media coverage Special Olympics received came from the Tribune, via Dave Condon’s “In the Wake of the News” column on July 2, 1968.

Saturday  7.19.08 at Soldier Field, Special Olympics will celebrated its 40th anniversary.

“The credit has to go to Eunice Shriver,” Burke said. “There’s no question she saw the big picture. When she was here, it was what it was: It was the Games. Kids came and parents were joyful. “But she said, ‘This has to go everyplace else.’ And she took it national. It was her big picture, which only a Kennedy can do.”

But sometimes it takes the energy of a 23-year-old to make it work. The idealistic power of the 1960s was at full strength, and young people were convinced they could make a difference. Nobody told them they couldn’t. It helped to have the infrastructure of the Park District as a foundation. And part of the manpower for the first Special Olympics came from Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign. He had been assassinated the previous month, and some campaigns workers came over to help.

“The Games in my mind are really part of a civil-rights movement for people with intellectual disabilities,” said Merchandise Mart President Christopher Kennedy, Robert’s son and Eunice’s nephew. “Look at the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed in 1990 and gave so many rights to people with disabilities. That really comes directly out of the Special Olympics movement.

“The very people who ended up with rights in 1990 had been held indoors, held in a prison-like atmosphere in the late ’60s. Sports is the great liberator. You hear an awful lot of coaches talk about the importance of sports in everyone’s lives, but there’s no greater demonstration of the role that sports can play than Special Olympics. It’s amazing to me.”

It was all very rudimentary in the 1960s. Burke remembered telling the special-needs kids at her first class to line up on a blue line. They didn’t know what lines were-or what blue was.

“Back then, there was nothing,” she said. “These kids were either in an institution or stayed at home and the parents were embarrassed. They didn’t even tell other family members they had a child that was mentally retarded.

“It was very difficult for the Park District employees to try to get the word out that it’s OK to bring your kid to a public building. It’s OK. We’re going to take care of them. We’re not going to put them on display.”

Burke and others worked gently with the athletes. And they kept working. It’s almost hard to recognize now. When Burke, her husband, Chicago Ald. Edward Burke, and two of their children went to the International Special Olympics in Shanghai in 2007, they sat in a stadium with 85,000 other people.

“I saw the president of China and all his friends around him wearing the same black suit and same black tie, and I thought to myself that this country, China, would not have even admitted, even a decade ago, that these people existed,” she said. “Here we are in China celebrating people with disabilities.”

There is still work to do. Burke said society needs to do more to help special-needs adults who have lost parents and need somewhere to live.

But Saturday will be a chance to celebrate how far we’ve come, all of us.

“Special Olympics is saying, ‘No, don’t kill them,’ ” Kennedy said. “It’s saying, ‘Let’s cherish them. Let’s celebrate them. Let’s clap for them. Let’s see the hero inside each of these children.’ ”
rmorrissey@tribune.com

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