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closeTradition standing the test of time in Puyallup
Puyallup School District hosts 39th annual elementary school track and field meet for local youth
Local Puyallup track enthusiast Lloyd Morgan had an idea in his head and made it a reality nearly 40 years ago.
In 1969, Morgan was responsible for getting the first annual Puyallup elementary schools track meet off the ground when eight teams made their way to Aylen Junior High for a fun-filled meet.
Four decades later, the yearly track meet is a staple of the Puyallup community. Sparks Stadium was packed to the brim for the 39th annual Lloyd Morgan Elementary School track and field meet on May 29. The meet has been held at Sparks Stadium since 1988.
A mind boggling 1,000 athletes from 22 elementary schools in the Puyallup school district had an opportunity to compete in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 800 meters, 400-meter relay, long jump and softball toss. Athletes competing included fourth graders, fifth graders and sixth graders.
Morgan was in attendance for the festivities and was honored during the opening ceremonies portion of the meet.
“I enjoy track and field so much. This track meet has gotten so big and its nice to see the stadium totally filled,” Morgan said. “There’s no other sport like track. When you get into those starting blocks the butterflies are always there. It’s a great sport.
Pope Elementary School principal and track meet coordinator Cory Crawford was glad to see a sea of youthful athletes fill every seat in the stands of Sparks Stadium.
“When you look up into the stands you will see all of the tee-shirts of kids representing their specific school,” Crawford said. “We’re hoping that kids here discover a talent that they never knew they had before. Most of these kids have never competed in track and field. It’s enjoyable seeing these kids put out their best efforts. Some of these kids will discover a talent they will take with them to junior high and high school. For others it will be the only time they ever participate.”
Crawford said meet officials don’t keep track of team scores like they would at a high school sporting event.
“We don’t post team scores and we do that deliberately,” Crawford said. “This meet is all about unifying these kids together. At the end of the day we want them to go home having had a fun time.”
George Wilfong, who’s been a Puyallup resident since 1962, was one of the volunteers in charge of making sure runners were in their proper lanes and starting blocks. It was the first time Wilfong has attended the Lloyd Morgan Elementary track and field meet.
“This meet is a pretty big deal,” Wilfong said. “It’s great for these young kids to get a chance to try track and field.”