Start the summer with Hershey’s Track & Field Games – it’s fun...and it’s free. Hershey’s mission is to promote physical fitness and participation. The only requirements are that participants must:
Be between nine and 14 years of age as of December 31, 2011. If your child turns 9 anytime this year, he/she is eligible!
Compete in only one local meet
Enter no more than three events in his/her age group and gender division
Bring their birth certificate and have a parent’s signature on their registration form
Maggie Pierce, a 4th grader in Cary, participated last year after reading about it in Active Alex. “It was great for someone like Maggie who just wanted to sample a meet,” says her dad, Scott. “The meet was well-organized and Maggie had a great time. As an 8 year old, she was able to advance out of her heat and into the finals of the 9-10 age group in both the 50 and 100 meter dashes.”
It was as easy as printing the entry form from the race site and showing up with Maggie’s birth certificate. “The races are structured to allow broad participation for beginning runners so, for example, there are no running spikes allowed and individual runners are only allowed to enter one meet in the area to prevent the faster kids from dominating every meet,” Scott says.
For many local participants, the fun doesn’t end there. The top two winners in the Local meets advance to the Regionals and could continue on to the National meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania in August. And it’s all free...and fun. Give it a shot!
Go to Hershey's Track and Field Games
for more specific information and check out Start Training for Fun Facts and Training Tips.
EVENTS INCLUDE:
50 Meter Dash
100 Meter Dash
200 Meter Dash
400 Meter Dash
800 Meter Dash
1600 Meter Dash
4 x 100 Meter Relay
Standing Long Jump
Softball Throw
LOCAL HERSHEY’S TRACK AND FIELD GAMES
Saturday, May 14 8:30AM
Raleigh Parks & Rec
Buffaloe Road Athletic Park
Jane Bailey, 919-831-6836
jane.bailey@raleighnc.gov
Saturday, June 4 9AM
Holly Springs Parks & Rec
Holly Grove Middle School Track
Kristen Denton, 919-557-6293
kristen.denton@hollyspringsnc.us
Wednesday, June 15 8:30AM
Cary Parks & Rec
Buffaloe Road Athletic Park
Kirk Matthews, 919-469-4363
kirk.matthews@townofcary.org