The Tioga Bulldogs Athletic Program hosted their second annual track camp for area kids in first-sixth grade Monday and Tuesday evening.
The two-day event held at Bulldog Stadium taught the young athletes mechanics and techniques for competitive running, concluding with the participants competing in a track meet in front of their families and friends.
“It was awesome,” Tioga athletic director Zach Birdwell said. “All the way down from first graders to incoming sixth graders out here, watching them learn a little bit, have fun and just compete. It was a fun two days.”
Tioga ISD’s athletic program is coming off a special season with the boys’ track team winning the school’s first-ever 2A State Championship in May, and that momentum was on full display at the track camp.
“We talk about wanting to take steps in our program in everything, and watching this camp grow from eight to 10 kids to 35 in Year 2 was awesome to see,” Birdwell said. “It's a testament to our junior high and high school program, watching them grow, that getting kids excited and getting more kids out here to just compete.”
Tioga parent Troy Horton captured the feeling that permeated the event.
“It's a great opportunity for the kids,” he said. “With the boys win- ning the 2A State Championship this year, it's a lot of fun for these kids to come out and get a feel for what it's like to be part of the Tioga Athletic Program. They get a chance to learn about competing, getting better every day, and just going out there and figuring out how to win.”
Troy’s daughter and camp participant, Talia Horton, spoke highly of the event.
“My favorite part was the running because that’s how you get medals,” she said.
The camp opened on Day 1 with the young athletes being taught how to stretch and warm up their bodies before being coached through multiple drills to improve their running skills.
On Day 2 the campers were divided up by grade level and had all of their skills put to the test with a short track meet consisting of a 40-yard dash, a 100-meter dash and a 400-meter race.
Birdwell thanked Tioga Track Coaches Beau Burruss and Rickey Smith for their work building the track program but emphasized that the camp’s success was mainly a result of the support of the Tioga parents.
“This was for the younger kids, and we didn't have a single kid in this camp that could drive themselves here, so thank you to our parents for bringing them out,” he said. “But they didn't treat this as a daycare. They all stayed; they were all hanging out and watching and cheering for the kids.”
Birdwell said he hopes the event will give the next generation of Bulldogs a head start in their athletic pursuits.
“I hope they left this camp knowing a little bit more on how to run, seeing that running can be fun, being ready to compete, but ultimately looking forward one day to running for the Dogs,” he said.
