THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994 TAG: 9405280183
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: 940601 LENGTH: Medium
Chargenia McCloe won the 50-meter and 100-meter dashes of her age group at the local portion of a national meet held recently at Kempsville Middle School.
{REST} So where's the science, you ask?
McCloe's speed comes naturally, she explained:
``My mother ran the 50, 100 and 200 in Compton (California) in high school,'' she said.
McCloe was one of hundreds of youth testing their mettle at the Hershey Foods Corp. national track and field competition. Virginia Beach hosted its two portions of the competition on consecutive Fridays earlier this month.
Hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department, the competition at Kempsville Middle School on May 13 was for girls 9-14. Boys of the same age competed at Cox High School the following Friday.
About 220 girls and 300 boys competed in the two meets, said Rich Sauls, who coordinated the track and field for the city. He and his staff had a busy two days timing events, verifying birth dates and directing anxious participants and parents to various locations.
The youngsters participated in the 50-, 100-, 200-, 800- and 1,600-meter races; a 400-meter relay; standing long jump; and softball throw.
Contestants were divided into three groups: 9- and 10-year-olds; 11- and 12-year-olds and 13-14. They were allowed to enter two running events and a field event, or two field events and a running event.
Ellen McLaughlin, physical education teacher at Holland Elementary School, said the Hershey competition is important. She brought nine of her students with her.
``Elementary schools try to support it because we have no track program for kids this age,'' she said.
Students must be in the 7th grade to play organized competitive sports.
The Holland girls contingent made a strong showing at Kempsville.
In addition to McCloe, Felicia Burnham finished second places in both the 50-meter and 100-meter dashes. Classmate Lashaunda Reese finished 10th in the 50. Burnham won the standing long jump in her age group with an outstanding leap of 6 feet, 8 inches, topping her nearest competitor by almost a foot.
Robert Reaves watched his 9-year-old daughter, Roberta, throw the softball.
``We got here just before it started,'' said Reaves. ``Roberta went to Jamestown today with her class.
Asked about her field trip, Roberta said, ``We saw how it was a long time ago.''
She didn't place in the softball throw, but did finish fourth in the 50.
Meredith Cohen, 12, signed up for the track and field competition, although her best sport is gymnastics. The 6th-grader jumped 6-2 1/2 to place fourth in her division in the standing long jump.
Her mother, Jodie, watched from the sidelines. She looked proud, of course, and sounded a bit relieved also.
``She's been practicing in the living room,'' said Cohen.
The following Friday at Cox felt more like football weather than track and field.
Four classmates from Red Mill Elementary School in the 9-10 age group huddled near the football bleachers and waited for their events. Levar D'Andrade, Jake Sisco, Ryan Zimmerman and Rexson Kenley would later place second in the 4x100 meter relay with a time of 1:11:23. D'Andrade also finished fifth in the 50 and ninth in the 100 and Rexson Kenley finished fourth in the softball throw.
They were ``excited and a little nervous,'' they said.
Donte Brackett, 9, from Malibu Elementary School, stood nearby and looked eager. He was entered in the 50, the long jump and the softball throw.
``I've been practicing a lot,'' he said.
His practice paid off with a standing long jump of 5-8. The leap brought Brackett a seventh-place finish. by CNB