Local athletes compete at the AAU Junior Olympic Games
July 30th, 2010
Originally found at www.battlecreekenquirer.com
Written by, Aaron D. Harris
Cereal City Track Club member Khylen Watkins, 13, of Battle Creek, practices in the high jump for the upcoming Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympic Games. (Robert Youngs/For the Enquirer)
Larry Caper Sr. and a handful of young men and women will have the opportunity to represent the city of Battle Creek to the rest of the country.
Caper, AAU track coach for the Cereal City Track Club, will accompany 10 young athletes to Norfolk State University in Virginia for the 2010 AAU National Junior Olympic Games starting this weekend from July 31-Aug. 7.
“This team that we have this year is a little younger than some of my normal teams in the past,” Caper said. “But the kids we have are hungry and had a goal to be in the national games when they first came out.
“Our numbers are down this year. We usually have about 35 kids come out and we only had 28 kids. But the kids that qualified for nationals are some of the best I’ve had.”
This will only be the second year of summer competition for regional long jump winner Kevin Smith, who competes in the 14-under Youth Boys division. But he still intends to take the little experience he has an apply it.
“What I learned last year is that the competition is a lot harder than in school,” Smith said. “The (competitions) comes from all over country and I saw them do different things last year that I will do this year.”
The techniques and exercises are important to Smith, but it’s the little things that he’ll try to improve on this time around.
“I’m going to stretch more,” Smith said. “I wasn’t as loose as I could have been last year so I’m going to start our better this time.”
Kevin Smith of Battle Creek flies through the air in preparation for the upcoming Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympic Games. (Robert Youngs/For the Enquirer)
Skylar Pollard, who has done AAU track since she was eight years old, is one of the veteran athletes on the team. She is not only expected to perform well, but also be a mentor to her teammates.
“Going to nationals is always a goal,” the 18-year-old high jump state and regional champion said. “I went last year and it was a goal of mine to get there again.”
For Pollard, getting to the nationals means a lot more this year, as this will be her final year of AAU eligibility.
“It definitely motivates me more because it’s my last chance to do this,” Pollard said. “It’s very important because doing well might help me get scholarship money for college. I will miss doing this and miss coach Caper and miss everybody on the team.”
One person that will miss Pollard is 13-year-old high jumper Khylen Watkins, who has learned a lot from his departing teammate.
“It’s been cool to have her here,” said Watkins, who will go to the nationals for a third consecutive time. “I need to do good as well. I’m a little nervous because I know how tough it’s going to be, but I’m excited, too.”
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