ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Hosts Elementary School Track Championships
About 200 fourth-to-sixth grade school children enjoyed a hot day at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ May 15, competing in the Santa Barbara Elementary School Track and Field City Championships. The athletes from Washington, Adams, Cleveland, McKinley and Monroe Elementary schools battled temperatures in the mid-80s while competing in a dozen track-and-field events including long jump, high jump, softball toss and various races.
The annual track meet began last year after being conceived by ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ alumna and Adams Elementary School principal Amy Alzina and ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ head track-and-field coach Russell Smelley.
"This is a great way to introduce these youngsters to the sport and give them a chance to be on a college campus," Smelley says. "They're having fun and and are thrilled to be out on a field running around and not being in class."
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ track and field athletes, who are training for the national championships next week in Alabama, served as volunteers, timing and measuring the events. Winners were awarded ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ T-shirts.
After the event, students toured the campus and enjoyed eating in the college's air-conditioned Dining Commons.