The Durango High School Track Field team hosted its annual track camp last week. The camp had three sessions with different age groups, a first, second and third grade group, a fourth, fifth and sixth grade group and a seventh, eighth and ninth grade group.
The camp introduced kids to different events in track and field. They learn high jump, long jump, shot put, relay exchanges and how to start out of blocks. The older group also got to try pole vault.
Camp concluded Friday night with all the kids coming together for a track meet.
“It's a lot of fun at the track meet, the kids get to show off their skill and what they learned in front of their families,” DHS head track coach Johnny Bertrand said. “When it's over, we get Happy Pappy's pizza!"
Many parents expressed their gratitude towards the high school leaders and their kids came home raving about what they did and how much fun they had each day. Riverview second grader, Morgan Utley said she was disappointed that the camp was only 1 week long, she wished it could go all summer.
“The camp has come a long way in the last 12 years,” Bertrand said. “I remember one year we had a total of 10 or 11 kids in two sessions and one of them was my own kid, Molly. This year we had almost 200 kids sign up. The cool part is that now Molly is one of the camp leaders. The high school athletes help at the camp and run the different stations. They really make it fun for the kids, they have high energy and connect well with the kids.”
Aside from learning track events, the athletes play games, eat lots of watermelons, have a water gunfight and tie-dye shirts to wear to the meet.
The camp is usually held the first full week of summer break. For more information about next year's camp, email Coach Bertrand at jbertrand@durangoschools.org
