Published on Berryvikings.com on January 2006
Published in the Rome News-Tribune Jan. 26, 2006

Track: Berry Hosts Elementary School Cross Country League

MOUNT BERRY, Ga….While Berry College’s cross country team has concluded its season, another cross country league is just beginning. The Rome/Floyd Elementary School Cross Country League will kick-off its season on Jan. 28 at the Clara Bowl Cross Country Course, on Berry’s campus.

The races will be held on the west side of the Ford Buildings at Berry College. Boys and girls from first to fifth grade can enter the races for $1 each. Registration will be held at 9 a.m. followed by the girls’ race at 9:30 and the boys’ at 10.

Each of the four races in the league’s series will be 3 km (approximately 2 miles). Every child that finishes will receive a ribbon, and at the final championship race, the top finishers will receive medals.

After the season opener on Jan. 28, the league’s series of races will continue on Feb. 4, Feb. 25 and March 4.

The league is sponsored by Berry College’s cross country team. Head Coach Paul Deaton started hosting elementary school races in 2005 in order to promote fitness and the sport of running.

“I’m doing this because when we did it last year, it was very inspiring to see so many kids having fun running,” Deaton said. “And, it was also satisfying to have parents come up and thank me for the experience.”

As a part of the program, members of Berry’s cross country team are volunteering as coaches at local elementary schools. The collegiate runners instruct the children in stretching, drills, and training when they visit the schools on Tuesday afternoons for practice sessions.

“It is a very fun experience, the kids really seem to enjoy it,” said Ryan Harrison a junior member of Berry College’s cross country team. “The kids learn a lot from us, just as we learn a lot from them.”

All children are welcome to participate, even if their school is not affiliated with the league.

For more information contact Paul Deaton at [email protected] or (706) 290-2147

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