Local elementary school children will get the opportunity to showcase their athleticism today in the Youth Track and Field Fun Day at Lewis V. Murray Stadium on the campus of Bogalusa High School.
The annual event, which is in its third year, serves as a fundraiser for Bogalusa’s track and field teams and will get underway at 9:30 a.m.
Bogalusa coach Eddie Walker said one ultimate goal is to try to get a track for the parish.
“The meet gives the area youth lower grades an opportunity to be enriched in the area of track and field to understand the heritage of the different events,” Walker said. “It will help prepare them for athletics in high school.”
The competition features first through sixth graders. Medals will be awarded for first place and ribbons will be handed out for those that finish in second through seventh place.
The two schools with the most participants will win a trophy.
Four local schools are competing — Annunciation Catholic School, Central Memorial, Northshore Charter School and Bogalusa Junior High.
Members of the Bogalusa High School track and field teams will be helping with the meet with timing, measuring and determining winners of the different places in the various events.
“We look forward to it every year with the expectations of trying to educate the area youth in the area of track and field to make them aware that track and field is as important as football, baseball and basketball,” Walker said. “Some of the top athletes do both and have excelled at track and field, mainly Usain Bolt, and our very own Clydeterrious Thompson, who went to state in the 400-meter dash and placed fourth in the state (50.37 seconds).”
Spectators are welcome to attend. The cost to get into the event is $5.