Who we are?
GUARDIAN ATHLETICS SOCIETY
2009 INNER CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OUTREACH PROGRAM
Guardian Athletics Society hires professional coaches to provide track and field coaching in the spring and cross country coaching in the fall to inner city school children. These schools lack the financial resources to provide high caliber coaching on their own. Most of the children attending these schools are from socially and economically challenged families.
The 2009 track and field program saw Guardian coaches in eleven elementary schools working with 800 children. There were two practices per week at each school. The training included event specific techniques (sprints, hurdles, relays, middle distance, high jump, long jump, shot put) as well as basic conditioning, balance, coordination, and flexibility exercises.
A highlight this year was when Canada’s 800M Olympian, Gary Reed, attended one of the Guardian practices again. Gary trained and kibitzed with the awestruck kids, then inspired everyone with a chat about his own disadvantaged childhood.
The track program culminated with 260 of these kids competing in the Harry Jerome International Track Classic at Swangard Stadium June 14. The kids were organized into 4x100m relay teams for an exhibition mini meet within the Jerome Classic. It was truly a magical and inspirational experience for these children, their families, and teachers. The kids shared the track with the international senior athletes, competing in front of thousands of enthusiastically cheering spectators.
There were 250 inner city kids training with Guardian during this year’s cross country program. The children were taught proper running technique, flexibility, warm up, and cool down exercises. The coaches accompanied the kids on neighbourhood distance runs. Most of the kids competed in the Vancouver School Board’s Elementary cross country championships in October.
In 2009, Guardian Athletics Society was generously funded in part by the Kiwanis Club of Vancouver.
Guardian has been providing it’s track and field and cross country programs since 2007. 2010 will be a year of building upon Guardian’s successes. For information about Guardian Athletics Society, contact Mark Tourigny at 604-684-2139.
