Pella Atletieks Track & Field Club

We recommend folks try to get to the Grinnell meet around 12:00PM. We could not find a registration time, but typically an hour before the meet starts is sufficient time to get registered and signed up for events.

See you on the track!

I am cancelling club practice tonight due to the weather. Currently raining and the radar doesn't show any change in the near future. If your have questions about this weekend's meets please email me or call my cell phone (780-1503).

Attached is the event and meet guidelines information sheet for club members that land in the Midget through Young Men and Women age divisions. This info is for those interested in the event options and rules for our athletes older than 10 years of age.
Remember: The meets this week are sanctioned by two different track and field governing bodies: USA Track and Field and AAU Track and Field. Both have different guidelines.

For parents of track athletes that land in the bantam categories or younger divisions, please take the time to read the track guidelines attached to this blog entry. If your child is new to track this year and is in a Midget category or higher, we will be sending a separate e-mail for these athletes and parents.

With two meets coming up this weekend, some of our younger athletes have never been to a meet and may want to start thinking about EVENTS they want to run in. Athletes are NOT required to run in any of the meets, but highly encouraged to do so...they are FUN!

We have strict guidelines in regards to RELAYS, and it is important that you and your child understand that relays are selected by the coaches, so athletes may NOT sign up for these events without coach authorization. Plan to sign your child up for 3 individual events (you will do this at the entry gates on meet days) and we will let you know if a relay event will be an option for your child by e-mail.

On Saturday, May 16, Pella Atletieks will compete at Lone Tree, Iowa. This meet is an AAU sanctioned meet and provides different event options for our younger runners (see website links under UPCOMING EVENTS for times, events, etc.) Remember: If your child is NOT an AAU member, he or she will have to sign up for a membership at the entry gates plus pay the $5.00 entry fee. (The AAU registration fee will be $12.00, and will allow your child to run in all AAU meets this year.) If your child is already a member of AAU, have your child bring his/her membership card or info to this meet. A copy of your child's birth certificate is always a good thing to bring along...they don't always check, however.

On Sunday, May 17, Pella Atletieks will compete in Grinnell, Iowa. This meet is a USATF sanctioned meet and has broader age divisions, and does not have the same event options as AAU. Be sure to read the attachment for USATF options for Bantam and younger athletes. Info for this meet can be found under the UPCOMING EVENTS link for time, place, etc. info.

Please print and read the attachment. This explains the event options our younger runners have in the meets that Iowa provides in AAU and USATF. More questions? E-mail us.

As the Jr High and High School season comes to a close, we have a handful of athletes that would like to practice this Friday. We will begin 7th, 8th and upper grades starting NEXT week. We do not have practice schedules/training workouts ready for these grades, yet. HOWEVER, if any Jr. High athletes would like to run in the USATF and AAU meets this weekend, they are MORE THAN WELCOME to attend the meets and sign up for any events they would like to. Many of you have track experience and can show up at these meets to run. Coach Pingel will be at both meets this weekend, so if you have questions about these meets contact Eric Pingel. Practice times for our Jr. High and High School athletes will be posted this SUNDAY, May 17th.

The 2009 Hershey's Track Meet will be held on May 29th. Field events start at 5:45 and running events begin @ 6:00PM. In the 9-14 age groups, the winners will be able to advance to the state meet in Marshalltown, June 13th. There will also be events held for 7 and 8 year old boys/girls. Hershey's requires that birth certificates be presented at registration time. Deadline to register is Wednesday, May 27 at 4:30PM at the Community Center in Pella, IA. There is NO fee for this meet.

If you plan to have your child run in the Panther Relays in Knoxville, IA, remember to print off and submit your registration form by May 22nd in order to get a t-shirt. You can register at the door, but are not guaranteed a t-shirt. This meet is not AAU or USATF sanctioned and has different age categories and events for kids to participate in. It is a great meet, and we highly encourage our club members to attend. See link under UPCOMING EVENTS for more info and a link to the registration forms.

Listed below are the practice times for this week. Events we have to work around this week include a Central College track meet hosted at Central on Wednesday and the Middle School Conference meet on Tuesday. Due to these events we will practice on Monday, Thursday, & Friday. Pay special attention to the time slots. Not every age group will practice all three days. In addition to adding an additional day to the practice schedule, I am reorganizing the practice groups to better accommodate the ever growing numbers of athletes and more adequately attend to the various training needs the athletes require.

Monday, May 11th
Sub-Bantam (2nd grade and younger) 5:30 - 6:00
Bantam & Young Midget (3rd grade - 4th graders) 6:00 - 7:00
Advanced Midgets and Older (5th grade and above) 7:00 - 8:00

Thursday, May 14th
Sub-Bantam (2nd grade and younger) 5:30 - 6:00
Bantam & Young Midget (3rd grade - 4th graders) 6:00 - 6:30

Friday, May 15th
Bantam & Young Midget (3rd grade - 4th graders) 5:30 - 6:30
Advanced Midgets and Older (5th grade and above) 6:30 - 7:30

Six athletes from Pella Atletieks participated in the USATF kick-off meet held at Washington, IA. We do not have official times/marks from this meet, so have submitted event places instead.

Participants were:

Mckenna Reickhoff:
100m (Bantam) 7th place
200M (Bantam) 6th place
400 M (Bantam) 3rd place

Annika Pingel:
Long Jump (Bantam) 2nd place
100 M (Bantam) 1st place
200 M (Bantam) 1st place

Kelcey Blommers:
200M (Midget) 3rd place
400M (Midget) 1st place

Kjersten Pingel
200 M (Midget) 5th place
Long Jump (Midget) 2nd place
400 M (Midget) 3rd place

Jordan Pingel
High Jump (Youth) 1st place
100 M hurdles (Youth) 1st place

Wade Pingel
100 M Hurdles (Intermediate) 1st place
400 M (Intermediate) 1st place

We will hold track practice on Tuesday, May 5th @ Central College.

Sub-Bantam division (Birthdate is 2001 or later) Practice time: 6:15-7:00 PM
Bantam (Birthdate is in 1999 or later) Practice time: 6:15-7:00 PM

Midget………………birthdate is 1997 & 1998 Practice time: 7:00-8:00 PM
Youth………………..birthdate is 1995 & 1996 Practice time: 7:00-8:00 PM
Intermediate…………birthdate is 1993 & 1994 Practice time: 7:00-8:00 PM

We will not hold practice on Wednesday, but HIGHLY encourage all athletes to participate in the 2009 Klompen Classic held in downtown Pella. Not only does the registration fee go to the great Crossroads organization, but the event is fun for everyone!

Klompen info below:
5K Road Race
5K Walk
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Pella, IA

The Tulip Time Klompen Classic consists of a 5K road race and a 5K walk through the streets of Pella. A short kids fun run is also included. The event occurs annually on the Wednesday evening before the beginning of the Tulip Festival in Pella.

The Klompen Classic is the primary fundraiser for Crossroads of Pella. Crossroads is a local non-profit agency that provides many types of assistance to those in need, but free counseling is the trademark.

http://www.crossroadspella.org/klompenclassic.htm