Walker Track Club preparing for loaded schedule
Published 5:14 pm Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Members of the Walker Track Club raced around Selma High School Tuesday afternoon, preparing for an upcoming schedule full of indoor track meets.
The club is hoping all the practice will lead to a successful season. With 30 runners participating, it is clear the club has already grown from its first year, but it is still looking for other interested runners.
“Enrollment is starting and I want to try to get everybody in and teach them the proper technique so that when they get ready for nationals, they have learned the proper techniques and have gotten familiar with running and conditioning,” said coach Jeffery Walker.
The club is a member of the Alabama Association of United States Track and Field and has seen numerous runners participate in nationally sanctioned events during its existence. The fee to register is a $30 USATF fee and a $20 Alabama Athletic Union fee.
“For the parents that don’t have it, we are doing fundraisers to get the funds for that,” Walker said.
The first indoor event of the new season is Dec. 26 in Birmingham, followed by two other events in Birmingham Jan. 7 and Jan. 18. Walker has plans to take the team all over the United States this year, including a trip to LSU on Feb. 1.
“We are going to be running at LSU and that’s going to be a great thing for the kids,” Walker said. “A lot of top colleges will be there and scouts, so it is a great opportunity for the kids to get more exposure. It is going to be awesome.”
The club has already been to Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Maryland and Texas for track events.
Walker starts his track stars off at young ages. He will accept youth as young as 3-years-old in hopes of preparing them for a bright future on their high school track teams.
“We are trying to get these kids in Selma a new adventure as far as running experience, so that when they get to [Selma] coach [Ivery] Williams at high track we will be setting some world records,” Walker said.
Before then, Walker has big plans for his team in 2014.
He’s hoping to take his team to New York for a meet later this year and he’s also hoping to hold a 5K run in Selma in January.
The club relies on fundraisers in order to finance many of its trips. Walker said several fundraisers are about to get started, including a raffle for a $100 gas card.
To sign up or for more information on the Walker Track Club, contact Walker at www.walkertrackclub.org or email him at walkertrack.club@yahoo.com.