Louisville’s First Tommie Smith Youth Track and Field Meet Is a Big Success!
August 16th, 2006
More than 300 youth ages 5 to 18 participated in Louisville’s first Tommie Smith Youth Track and Field Meet on August 11 and 12. The event was held at University of Louisville’s Owsley Frasier Cardinal Park track and field stadium. The event was sponsored by CW Johnson Express, Lyle Enterprises, Senator Gerald Neal, and the 100 Black Men of Louisville. The event was sanctioned by the KY AAU.
Kentucky AAU’s Bob Blanford with Tommie Smith
Former Olympians Tommie Smith and Bob Beamon were on hand to join Lousiville’s Mayor Jerry Abramson and Health Director Dr. Adewale Troutman in leading the Parade of Athletes in the Opening Ceremonies.
The Tommie Smith Louisville Track & Field meet is part of an ongoing initiative to establish Tommie Smith Track Clubs in Louisville. The Louisville Metro Health Department is partnering with the Jefferson County Public Schools, the Health Promotion Schools of Excellence, the University of Louisville, and existing area track clubs to establish ten to fifteen Tommie Smith Track Clubs in Louisville. The clubs are being designed so that children of all ability levels can be successful.
Louisville is only the second site in the country for this youth track and field initiative that encourages minority young people to engage in physical fitness activities. The Initiative was first launched in Oakland, CA.
In Oakland the Tommie Smith Youth Track clubs have not only improved fitness levels of elementary school age children, but have also improved academic performance. The Louisville youth track clubs will be based primarily in west Louisville where physical fitness levels among children are lower than in other parts of the community. The Louisville clubs will also include instruction on nutrition, personal hygiene as well as fitness assessments.
More than 300 youth ages 5 to 18 participated in Louisville’s first Tommie Smith Youth Track and Field Meet on August 11 and 12. The event was held at University of Louisville’s Owsley Frasier Cardinal Park track and field stadium. The event was sponsored by CW Johnson Express, Lyle Enterprises, Senator Gerald Neal, and the 100 Black Men of Louisville. The event was sanctioned by the KY AAU.
Former Olympians Tommie Smith and Bob Beamon were on hand to join Lousiville’s Mayor Jerry Abramson and Health Director Dr. Adewale Troutman in leading the Parade of Athletes in the Opening Ceremonies.
The Tommie Smith Louisville Track & Field meet is part of an ongoing initiative to establish Tommie Smith Track Clubs in Louisville. The Louisville Metro Health Department is partnering with the Jefferson County Public Schools, the Health Promotion Schools of Excellence, the University of Louisville, and existing area track clubs to establish ten to fifteen Tommie Smith Track Clubs in Louisville. The clubs are being designed so that children of all ability levels can be successful.
Louisville is only the second site in the country for this youth track and field initiative that encourages minority young people to engage in physical fitness activities. The Initiative was first launched in Oakland, CA.
In Oakland the Tommie Smith Youth Track clubs have not only improved fitness levels of elementary school age children, but have also improved academic performance. The Louisville youth track clubs will be based primarily in west Louisville where physical fitness levels among children are lower than in other parts of the community. The Louisville clubs will also include instruction on nutrition, personal hygiene as well as fitness assessments.
The Tommie Smith Youth Track Initiative is an initiative under the Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement and the newly created Center for Health Equity.
For more information on the Tommie Smith Youth Track and Field Initiative contact Shelia Oldham Smith at 502-574-6620 or the Center for Health Equity at 502-574-8045.
The Tommie Smith Youth Track Initiative is an initiative under the Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement and the newly created Center for Health Equity.
For more information on the Tommie Smith Youth Track and Field Initiative contact Shelia Oldham Smith at 502-574-6620 or the Center for Health Equity at 502-574-8045.
For more info on AAU Track and Field, visit www.aauathletics.org
