Hershey track meet returning to Sandpoint

SANDPOINT — The Hershey Track and Field meet will be run on Saturday, June 17 at the SHS track in a joint effort between the City Recreational Dept. and SHS Track and Field team. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and birth certificates must be provided for proof of age of contestants. A time schedule will be released at a later time and parents should have their children registered at least an hour before the time that their age division events begin .According to David DeMers, Head track coach at SHS, all participants are welcomed as long as they meet the following four criteria.

? Participants must be between the ages of 9-14 as of Dec. 31 of the current year.

? A participant must compete in his/her age group and gender division.

? All local winners must have their ages verified by meet officials.

? A participant must participate in the state/province in which he/she resides.

Winners of local competition can go onto the regional, state and finally to the national competition in Hershey Pennsylvania. There will be an exhibition 50 meter dash for all children under the age of 8 at 11 a.m. DeMers says this event will be just for fun and ribbons will be awarded to all who enter for their effort. The Hershey Track Meet used to be run but when the track became a liability the event was cancelled. Now with the new facility we can run an awesome meet for all the youth who wish to participate. I would encourage anyone who would want to help and volunteer to please call Jason Wiley at City recreation as we need bodies to help out. Handouts will be sent to all grade schools in the area and DeMers says the events are terrific opportunities to have fun and enjoy the pure pleasure of competition. Music, tents and colorful boundary flags will be used to give the meet an extra flare and make it fun for the whole family. All who compete will get a ribbon and other special prizes.

The events of the meet are 50 meter dash, 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 800 meter run, 1600 meter run, 400 meter relay, softball throw and standing long jump. A participant may enter only 3 events. Track spikes, cleats and starting blocks are not allowed in the meet.

? For more information contact Jason Wiley at Sandpoint City recreation dept. 263-3613 or David DeMers at Sandpoint Middle School 265-4169.