By Clyde Noel
Town Crier Correspondent
Dressed in their school colors, more than 1,300 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students from the six Los Altos elementary schools assembled in the Los Altos High School parking lot Saturday, for the 42nd annual Junior Olympics.
While the district band played the Olympic theme, Superintendent Marge Gratiot and Assistant Superintendent Dick Liewer, the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees, members of the Los Altos City Council, principals and teachers joined the Junior Olympians who marched proudly onto the football field behind their school banners.
“This is the best event we have all year,” Gratiot said. “There is a lot of work that goes into the event and we are proud of this.”
The Los Altos Educational Foundation sponsored the event, established in the early 1960s to encourage physical fitness, and a team of parent and district volunteers organized the smoothly run competition.
Pam Harris, physical education specialist at Almond School, said more than 200 students from each school participate.
“Some kids never get exposed to athletics, and this program gives them an opportunity,” Harris said. “I was in the Junior Olympics when I was a kid and it is one of the nice things I remember.”
“There are no couch potatoes here,” said Council member John Moss. “It’s great because the kids can learn sports and get some exercise.”
Pat Koren, meet director, said the kids can choose what they want and compete in up to three events. The elementary school physical education specialists with the assistance of the parents, trained the participants.
Junior Olympic organizers emphasized that the event is not a competition among the schools, but an opportunity for students to experience different activities.
There is individual competition by grade for girls and boys in the 1,320-yard distance run, 75-yard dash, 60-yard hurdles, 440- and 880-yard relays, basketball free throw, chin-ups, long jump, softball throw and 30-second jump-rope and team relays entered by each school.
Liewer has been involved in the Junior Olympics since the 1970s.
“The way this meet is constructed, it allows for children of different body types and abilities to compete,” Liewer said. “It’s not just kids coming together on a Saturday, it’s something that is meaningful. The kids have been training for the last six weeks and this is one of the reasons Blach and Egan have such strong track and field teams.”
The Junior Olympics isn’t only the athletes; it’s the parents and volunteers who organize the event and man stations all day. The event relies on volunteers who are trained as judges and timers, computer scorers and for first aid.
Participation awards were given to each athlete. Those who finished first in their event, received an additional ribbon award.
“They’re all winners,” said Tom Ford, a volunteer from Mountain View, as he handed out ribbons to first-place winners in the 75-yard dash for boys.
“I’ve been coaching kids and helping them grow up since I started coaching Little League years ago.” Ford said. “We live in an odd world and kids need all the help we can give them to get started in the world.”
By 4 p.m., after the last 440-yard relay, the healthy competition among students left some tired bodies; but throughout the day, the Junior Olympians were standing proud, proud of their individual accomplishments and proud of their schools. And the fans who overflowed the bleachers cheered with enthusiasm and appreciation from the races which started at 8:15 a.m. through the final relay.
