Projo Running Blog

Parents looking to introduce their children to track and field, or just to encourage them to pursue fun and healthy activities shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to get involved with the Hershey Track & Field program.

Established in 1975, the Hershey’s Track & Field Games are ``the largest youth sports program of its kind’’ in North America, according to its web site.

The meets, which begin at the local level, are open to boys and girls aged 9-14 with competition in a number of basic running, jumping and throwing (softball throw) events broken down into three age groups _ 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14.

Champions from each of those local meets advance to the state finals, to be held July 7 at 5 p.m. at the Rhode Island College Athletic Complex.

The top competitors from that meet will receive an all expenses paid trip to the North American Final, to be held Aug. 3-6 in Hershey, Pa.

Three more local meets remain. A regional meet - open to Johnston, North Providence, Smithfield and Scituate athletes - will be held today, June 26, at the Johnston High School track, 345 Cherry Hill Rd. For information, contact Matt LaFazia at the Johnston Recreation Department at (401) 272-3460 or via e-mail at mattlafazia@hotmail.com.

Two others will be held tomorrow, June 27 _ at 10 a.m. at Riverpoint Park, on Hay Street in West Warwick, and at 9 a.m. at Lincoln High School, 135 Old River Rd. For information about the West Warwick meet, contact Warren Rensehausen at (401) 822-9260 or e-mail him at wrensehausen@westwarwickri.org. Andrew Wade can answer questions about the Lincoln meet and can be reached by phone at (401) 333-8416 and via e-mail at awade@lincolnri.org.

Kids interested in getting involved should first contact their local parks and recreation department. If their city or town is not involved in Hershey Track & Field, youngsters should contact LaFazia, who is also the state coordinator.

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