RUNNING START

HOUSTON — Next week, athletes from four area high schools will compete in the Northern Lights Conference Championships at Palmer High School.

A few of those Mat-Su Valley athletes will win conference titles. Others may post a personal best or qualify for the state meet. And for some, the NLC Championships may mark the final time they compete in track and field in the Valley.

On Saturday, a new generation of Valley athletes enjoyed their first chance.

More than 600 fourth- and fifth-graders from 18 schools participated in the 2010 Mat-Su Elementary Track and Field Meet at Houston High School.

“This is where it starts,” said Carl Bunch, a substitute teacher who volunteered to help coach the Knik Elementary team.

Local students had the chance to compete in a variety of traditional track and field events, such as the high jump, long jump, a relay or the 100-meter dash. There were also a few nontraditional contests, like the softball throw and an obstacle course, set up to challenge the young athletes.

The value of this meet is immeasurable. For decades, the elementary track and field meet has opened the door for students, leading them to a life of activity. And Saturday, a fresh group of young legs sprinted down the Houston High track, cleared the bar in the high jump and leapt into the long jump pit.

“An event like this today gets them so excited,” Shaw Elementary coach Billie Haan said. “It’s just awesome. They do realize it’s something they want to do.”

The simple introduction to athletics could be the most important part of the annual elementary meet. For several weeks, the 605 students who competed on Saturday participated in after-school practices to prepare for the final meet.

For some, the foundation was built and a lifetime of involvement in athletics will follow. But regardless of whether Saturday marked the first or the last time a fourth- or fifth-grader participated in a track and field meet, it gave them an opportunity to at least give it a try.

“I think it’s really important, especially for the fifth-graders going into middle school next year, to see if it’s something they’re interested in,” Haan said. “The fourth-graders get the taste of what it’s like.”

The potential impact athletics could have on these students goes well beyond the amount of success these young athletes may have had on Saturday. What matters more than the number of ribbons collected or races won is simply the introduction to sports and opportunity to participate. Athletics can play a crucial role in the development of confidence, character and a goal-oriented mentality.

“It builds sportsmanship at a young age,” Rita Allen, a third-grade teacher at Pioneer Peak Elementary said. “It’s great to see these kids be so positive and encouraging each other.”

These events also show our children there’s an alternative to a sedentary lifestyle.

“It’s a positive impact because most kids who are doing these events are usually goal-driven, looking for a challenge, looking for something different other than sitting around, hanging around the house playing video games,” Bunch said.

And Saturday could have marked the start of a path that will lead them to the NLC Championships in a few years.

“A lot of these kids are going to continue,” Haan said. “You’ve seen some today that will be high school champions.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.