HERSHEY, Pa. – Although the worldwide Olympic games open on Aug. 8, for five Maine athletes, the torch was lit on Aug. 2 in Hershey at the North American finals of the Hershey Youth Track and Field Games. 2008 marked the 31st year of the games attended by 500 children and nearly 200 chaperons. The games were hosted by the Hershey Foods Company and Milton Hershey School.
The 2008 participants from Maine included four Aroostook County residents and one Old Town resident. Northern Regional Coordinator for Maine Kathy Mazzuchelli indicated that the chance of qualifying for the three-day event is about 1 in 1,000, and this is the second year that the County has had four of the five qualifiers.
In this year’s North American finals, Brandon Theriault (Fort Kent) captured second in the 9-10 boys’ softball throw, Tia Jackson (Old Town) finished third in the 11-12 girls’ 200-meter dash, Molly Anthony (Bridgewater) finished fifth in the 9-10 girls’ 50-meter dash, Taylor Williams (Presque Isle) placed eighth in the girls’ 9-10 softball throw and Holden Turner (Easton) captured 12th in the 13-14 boys’ long jump.
All participants were awarded medals in the tradition of the Olympic medal ceremony.
The Hershey Track and Field Program, founded by Donald P. Cohen in 1975, was developed to promote physical fitness, participation, friendship and sportsmanship. The program has become the largest youth sports program of its kind in North America. Competitors from across North America still compete in running events, standing long jump and softball throw. Some participants qualify for the finals despite the lack of a track facility in their community.
USA Olympic competitors Monique Henderson and Bershawn Jackson began their track and field successes through participation in the Hershey Program.
Henderson still hold the record for the 13-14 girls’ 200-meter race with a time of 24.06.
Hershey Food Company, USA Track and Field, Athletics Canada and the National Recreation and Park Association sponsored the 2008 event.
Any community interested in developing an after school program or incorporating the program into physical education classes can contact Mazzuchelli at the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department at 493-4224 or calling the State Coordinator Tim Baude at the Orono Parks and Recreation Department at 866-5065.
Contributed photo
HERSHEY TRACK AND FIELD FINALISTS from Maine participating in the national competition in Hershey, PA were, from the left, Brandon Theriault, Holden Turner, Taylor Williams, Molly Anthony and Kia Jackson. Turner was selected to carry the State of Maine flag in the opening ceremonies of the games.
