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hplandmark.com sports
the highland park landmark | June 13, 2019 | 39
Youth sports
HPHS track organizes youth meet
22nd Century Media File
Photo
1st-and-3
2020 Breakout
candidates
1. Grace Spencer.
(Above)
Only a freshman,
Spencer batted
.433 and made
the All-Conference
team. She also
stole 12 bases
and could be the
Giants’ best player
in 2020.
2. Berkeley
Clayborne.
Clayborne was the
top scorer for the
girls lacrosse team
and will get more
opportunities to
make plays next
spring.
3. Josh Mendiola.
In 36 innings, the
sophomore struck
out 39, totaled an
ERA of 1.33, and
accumulated a 4-1
record. He’ll likely
be the Giants ace
going into 2020.
Nick Frazier, Sports Editor
The future of Giants
track and field was on display
on May 31 at Wolters
Field.
Over 40 middle school
and elementary-school kids
took part in a youth meet
put on by the Highland
Park track and field teams
during the afternoon. Boys
track head coach Steve Buti
started the event in 2005 to
give budding track stars the
chance to get familiar with
the sport.
“They meet the high
schoolers and try the
events, most of the elementary
schoolers don’t have a
sand pit or a high jump mat
to jump into, and then using
jumping blocks,” Buti said.
“Really just to get exposure
to the sport, and hopefully
get them to enjoy it and
maybe join when we see
them in high school eventually.”
Before the meet, there
were two practice days on
May 28 and 29, when the
kids met the high school
track team and learned
about each event. Though
the attendance numbers
were down a bit this year
— Buti said the most participants
he’s ever had is
around 80 — the kids still
had a fun time trying different
things, whether it was
shot put or hurdles.
Field events at the meet
included long jump, high
jump and shot put. The
featured races were the
100-meter hurdles, the one
mile, the 100-meter dash
and the 400-meter run.
Though kids are encouraged
to compete and receive
medals for placing
in each event, Buti said the
main goal is to have fun
and inform kids on track
and field.
“Yes it’s a meet and it’s
competitive, but we want
them to enjoy it so it’s
something they can look
forward to when they get
to high school,” Buti said.
“This year the one nice
thing is we do have a lot of
middle schoolers that came,
which is exciting for future
years and things like that.”
With so much going on
after the spring track season,
it’s tough to get enough
high schoolers to help out
with the event. That didn’t
matter to the kids who got
to try something new, and
the parents in the stands
cheering on their children.
“We’d love to get the
numbers up more, we can’t
do it really during our season
because we’re so busy,
so we do it right after the
high school season, and it’s
just graduation, graduation
parties, tryouts for travel
soccer, there’s just a million
things going on,” Buti
said. “Anybody we can get,
we love it, we want them to
be here, want this be a fun
situation, we love that the
parents stay and watch and
cheer, it’s a fun event.”
Paxton Feeder competes in the hurdles race at the Highland Park youth track meet
on May 31 at Wolters Field. Photos by Nick Frazier/22nd Century Media
Alex Gudgeon does a backflip on the high jump mat during a break in the action.
Listen Up
“This was just a great group of girls who were
dedicated, they are friends and they enjoy hanging out
with each other.”
Andy Karsen — U-14 Highland Park girls soccer coach on the
team’s pefect season
Tuning In
What to watch this week
Take it to the links: With Father’s Day this
weekend, get out those golf clubs and spend
some time with dad.
VIsit any of your park district’s golf courses.
Index
37 - Boys Volleyball Player of the Year
34 - Athlete of the Week
Fastbreak is compiled by Sports Editor Nick
Frazier. Send any questions or comments to
n.frazier@22ndcenturymedia.com.