Post by Bornthrilla on Apr 3, 2009 8:00:08 GMT -5
AGGIES EMBARK ON AMBITIOUS TRACK SCHEDULE
Aggies to host Junior Olympics Nationals
GREENSBORO, April 2, 2009 – In anticipation of hosting 12 track and field events at North Carolina A&T’s Irwin Belk Track in 2009, director of track and field programs Roy Thompson began getting maximum use of his office and cell phones last summer.
Thompson began calling track and field officials to solidify commitments to work meets. He has been a part of so many conference calls since last summer he lost count. Even the phone calls with N.C. A&T co-workers have become too numerous to count over the last 10 months.
But even as long as that process seems, the timetable is still misleading. In actuality, Thompson’s dedication to making N.C. A&T the hub of the track and field world started years ago.
“I’ve been talking about doing these types of things for more than 20 years,’’ Thompson said. “I told people if we ever got a track and field facility at North Carolina A&T, I was going to bid on some of the biggest meets in the country. A lot of people I spoke to then are now at the top of USA Track and Field, so they know it has always been a dream of mine to bring these meets to Greensboro.”
Dreams do come true. America’s best athletes whether they are Olympians, collegiate All-Americans or prep standouts will make N.C. A&T their destination this spring and summer. Starting with the Aggie Relays on April 3-4, track and field events will occupy many weekends on the calendar until August.
Many of the meets are high-profile in nature, including the largest track and field event in terms of numbers to ever come to Greensboro, the National Junior Olympics.
“I was elated when I found out Junior Olympics were coming to North Carolina A&T,’’ said Thompson. “It is one of the premier youth meets in the country. All the young people participating are trying to win a national championship in their age group.”
The National Junior Olympics are coming to Irwin Belk Track July 28-August 2. The event brings with it more than 7,000 youth athletes to N.C. A&T’s campus.
“People think when I talk about these track events helping us recruit, I’m simply talking about our track and field program,’’ Thompson said. “But I’m usually talking about recruiting students in general. When you bring youth meets of this size to your campus along with high school meets, those athletes bring family members to watch them compete. So you’re getting a diverse group of people seeing your university who otherwise would not have.”
Some of the mainstays will also return to N.C. A&T. The Nike Scholastics Outdoor Track and Field Championships returns for the fourth straight year June 19-21. The North Carolina High School Athletics Association will also return to hold its Class 1A and 3A (May 22-23) and Class 2A and 4A (May 15-16) championships in Aggieland. The State Junior Olympics is also back for another year. It will be held June 26-28. The Friendship & Freedom Games (April 17-18) will return for the third straight year. The other N.C. A&T sponsored track and field event this season will be the Murray Neely Invitational on April 11.
There are also some meets on the schedule this season that are returning after a few years absence. The MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held April 30-May 2. The conference championships are returning to N.C. A&T after three years. The last time the conference championships were held in Greensboro, the Aggie men and women won a combined seven individual titles.
The NCAA Division I East Regionals also return after a three-year hiatus. The best collegiate athletes on the east coast will be competing for regional championships May 29-30 while trying to advance to the nationals in Fayetteville, Ark., June 10-13.
“The thing that makes me the happiest is that we have some meets returning to North Carolina A&T because of the service we have provided and what we have to offer in terms of hospitality and facilities. It says a lot about what we have done here since the track was built.”
Irwin Belk Track opened for business in 2005 and thus far the track has helped Thompson’s dream become a reality. If you think he is finished dreaming and making phone calls, however, you would be sadly mistaken.
“This is a banner year for track and field at North Carolina A&T,’’ he said. “This is probably going to be one of the most exciting years we have ever had here with the track, but I think the best years are ahead of us.”
Aggies to host Junior Olympics Nationals
GREENSBORO, April 2, 2009 – In anticipation of hosting 12 track and field events at North Carolina A&T’s Irwin Belk Track in 2009, director of track and field programs Roy Thompson began getting maximum use of his office and cell phones last summer.
Thompson began calling track and field officials to solidify commitments to work meets. He has been a part of so many conference calls since last summer he lost count. Even the phone calls with N.C. A&T co-workers have become too numerous to count over the last 10 months.
But even as long as that process seems, the timetable is still misleading. In actuality, Thompson’s dedication to making N.C. A&T the hub of the track and field world started years ago.
“I’ve been talking about doing these types of things for more than 20 years,’’ Thompson said. “I told people if we ever got a track and field facility at North Carolina A&T, I was going to bid on some of the biggest meets in the country. A lot of people I spoke to then are now at the top of USA Track and Field, so they know it has always been a dream of mine to bring these meets to Greensboro.”
Dreams do come true. America’s best athletes whether they are Olympians, collegiate All-Americans or prep standouts will make N.C. A&T their destination this spring and summer. Starting with the Aggie Relays on April 3-4, track and field events will occupy many weekends on the calendar until August.
Many of the meets are high-profile in nature, including the largest track and field event in terms of numbers to ever come to Greensboro, the National Junior Olympics.
“I was elated when I found out Junior Olympics were coming to North Carolina A&T,’’ said Thompson. “It is one of the premier youth meets in the country. All the young people participating are trying to win a national championship in their age group.”
The National Junior Olympics are coming to Irwin Belk Track July 28-August 2. The event brings with it more than 7,000 youth athletes to N.C. A&T’s campus.
“People think when I talk about these track events helping us recruit, I’m simply talking about our track and field program,’’ Thompson said. “But I’m usually talking about recruiting students in general. When you bring youth meets of this size to your campus along with high school meets, those athletes bring family members to watch them compete. So you’re getting a diverse group of people seeing your university who otherwise would not have.”
Some of the mainstays will also return to N.C. A&T. The Nike Scholastics Outdoor Track and Field Championships returns for the fourth straight year June 19-21. The North Carolina High School Athletics Association will also return to hold its Class 1A and 3A (May 22-23) and Class 2A and 4A (May 15-16) championships in Aggieland. The State Junior Olympics is also back for another year. It will be held June 26-28. The Friendship & Freedom Games (April 17-18) will return for the third straight year. The other N.C. A&T sponsored track and field event this season will be the Murray Neely Invitational on April 11.
There are also some meets on the schedule this season that are returning after a few years absence. The MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held April 30-May 2. The conference championships are returning to N.C. A&T after three years. The last time the conference championships were held in Greensboro, the Aggie men and women won a combined seven individual titles.
The NCAA Division I East Regionals also return after a three-year hiatus. The best collegiate athletes on the east coast will be competing for regional championships May 29-30 while trying to advance to the nationals in Fayetteville, Ark., June 10-13.
“The thing that makes me the happiest is that we have some meets returning to North Carolina A&T because of the service we have provided and what we have to offer in terms of hospitality and facilities. It says a lot about what we have done here since the track was built.”
Irwin Belk Track opened for business in 2005 and thus far the track has helped Thompson’s dream become a reality. If you think he is finished dreaming and making phone calls, however, you would be sadly mistaken.
“This is a banner year for track and field at North Carolina A&T,’’ he said. “This is probably going to be one of the most exciting years we have ever had here with the track, but I think the best years are ahead of us.”
