The annual St. Albert Challenge track meet is quickly approaching.
The Mustangs of the St. Albert Track and Field Club will play host to competitors at the meet on May 28 and 29 at Fowler Athletic Park.
This year, the Mustangs have teamed up with the Voleo Athletics Club from Edmonton to organize the meet. Janice Curle, the president of the St. Albert Track and Field Club said she anticipates that this year’s attendance will be higher than most as the meet will serve as the provincials for the tyke, peewee and bantam age groups. It will also be a selection meet for the Alberta Summer Games for Zone 5 (Black Gold/Yellowhead) and Zone 6 (Edmonton). The Summer Games will be in Leduc in July.
Curle expects there will be between 300 and 400 athletes attending the St. Albert Challenge. The membership of the St. Albert Track and Field Club is at approximately 50 athletes and the vast majority of the Mustangs will participate.
The tykes, peewees and bantams will receive provincial medals each day based on their overall performance. They will be given points for each event they participate in and medals will be given to the athletes with the most points on each day.
For many of the Mustangs, the St. Albert Challenge will be their first experience at a track meet outside of school track and field.
“I think there is a lot of anticipation and excitement about going to their first meet and having that experience and it being kind of their home track, too, makes it special,” said Curle.
The assistance from Voleo and the parent volunteers is helping to make the planning of the meet run smoothly. Curle said they are working hard towards organizing things such as hospitality for the officials, awards, registration and schedules.
Curle said they are doing well with the amount of volunteers that they have but advises anyone who wishes to help to email the club at [email protected]. She encourages those interested in getting involved in track and field or learning more about it to contact the Mustangs for details on becoming an official with Athletics Alberta.
The meet is a big event for the Mustangs. Athletes from all over the province will be coming to compete in St. Albert. Curle said this is a chance for St. Albert athletes to rank nationally while competing at home. Spectators are encouraged to visit the event.
“If people want to see some great track and field, I certainly invite them to come on down.”
