By Clyde Noel

Photo by Joe Hu, Town Crier

Town Crier Correspondent

Thousands gather for 2002 Junior Olympics

More than 1,300 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students from the Los Altos School District participated in the 2002 Junior Olympics Saturday at Los Altos High School.

Dressed in school colors, students from Almond, Bullis-Purissima, Loyola, Oak, Santa Rita and Springer schools participated in track and field events, while more than 2,000 parents cheered for their young athletes.

“Come on Sarah! Let’s go Holly! Go Loyola, go Loyola! Bring it home, bring it home,” chants could be heard all over the stands.

Brad Rowe, captain of the 1982 Princeton University track and field team, was yelling to his son Graham, a fourth-grade Springer student entered in the 1,320-yard race.

“Come on, space yourself. Start working your way up. That’s good. That’s good,” Rowe told his son. Graham finished sixth.

Rowe was one of the many volunteers who helped make the Junior Olympics successful. His chore at the meet was to act as a timer.

Barbara Baill, a first-year volunteer, also was demonstrative in cheering for her daughter, Kait Rhodes, in the fifth-grade hurdles event.

The annual event required a great deal of planning. A Junior Olympics committee, comprising parents from the six schools, met monthly for six months to prepare for the event. Each individual school has a committee of volunteers, and districtwide responsibilities rotate among the schools.

Volunteer parent Jenny Hood described some of the details.

“We order the food, find volunteers, make the programs and set up the events,” Hood said. “We arrive at 6 a.m. to set things up.”

During opening ceremonies, Assistant Superintendent Dick Liewer was recognized as the Grand Marshal of Junior Olympics 2002. This is Liewer’s last year with the district.

Master of ceremonies Non Meade said, “Dick has guided and supported this spectacular event for 42 years. He is responsible for shaping the Junior Olympics into the district’s largest all-school event.”

A banner thanking Liewer decorated the track fence along the far side of the bleachers. The banner was created by the district’s schools and signed by each student participant.

Superintendent Marge Gratiot gave Liewer a commemorative medal for his dedication to the Junior Olympics. In her congratulatory remarks, Gratiot said, “I’m really going to miss him.”

Opening ceremonies featured the procession of the athletes into the stadium. Each school’s principal led its team.

Patricia Boettcher led the Bullis Bears; Leslie Crane led the Oak Cougars; Linda Eckols led the Loyola Lions; Bob Celeste led the Springer Super Stars; Steve Peck led the Santa Rita Bobcats; and Jeffrey Baier led the Almond Eagles.

Meet Director Pat Koren said the kids can choose what they want and compete in up to three events. Elementary school physical education specialists, with the assistance of parents, have been training the athletes for the past six months.

While athletes receive ribbons for first place through sixth place, winning isn’t necessarily the point of the day’s events. Athletes get souvenir awards just for showing up. An estimated 80 percent of the children in grades 4-6 participate.

Parent Matthew Ives is a field coordinator for the hurdles and the relays. It’s his fourth year volunteering. “It’s a gas. I love it. Watching the kids is what it’s all about,” he said.

Karen Lesyna was on the security patrol and kept yelling, “Go Loyola, go Loyola.” It’s her eighth year volunteering.

Close by was a Bullis parent yelling to her daughter running in the relay, “You’re looking good, real good, pick it up.”

Co-chairwomen of the Junior Olympics Geri Macomber and Dee Thomas represented Bullis-Purissima School for the 2002 event. They said they love working with children because it gives the children exposure to crowds at an early age.

Thomas participated in the Junior Olympics as a student at Bullis and wants to see the tradition continued.

In addition to the many volunteers, teachers also contributed. Linda Kirk, Almond School sixth-grade teacher, has been at the event the past 23 years.

“I’m a loyal teacher and parent, and I support the student activities and help wherever I can,” she said.

There is individual competition by grade for girls and boys in the 1,320-yard run, 75-yard dash, 60-yard hurdles, 440- and 880-yard relays, basketball throw, chin-ups, long jump, softball throw and 30-second jump-rope and team relays entered by each school.

By 4 p.m., after the last 440-yard relay, the healthy competition among students had produced some tired bodies. But Junior Olympic contestants stood proud of their individual accomplishments and of their schools.

After volunteers removed the last of the hurdles and put everything back in place, Liewer paused for some reflection. “This was my last hurrah. I’ve seen it since its start in ‘78 and it’s going strong. (But) if they want me to volunteer next year, I’ll be glad to do it again.”