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TEAM PROFILE: WALL TRACK CLUB
Head Coach: Vince Buonocore
The Wall Track Club gears up for its 15th season in 2003. The
Clubs goal is to introduce young people to track and field, teach sportsmanship, and give them the opportunity to compete
with the best the State, Region and Nation have to offer. Wall Track welcomes
athletes 14 and under, and its home field is Wall Township High School.
The Club attracts upwards of 150 kids a year, which helps it meet its first goal of introducing
the sport as widely as possible. The Club participates in both the AAU and USATF,
and traditionally dozens of Wall Trackers qualify and participate in the State, Regional and National meets. (In recognition of the achievement, each Wall Tracker who qualifies for a Regional Championship in either
the AAU or USATF is awarded a Club Trophy.)
The 2002 Season began for the Wall Track Club the first week in April as always. Four months later, after fifty practices, four local meets (including Walls own annual
Invitational), and State and Regional Championship competitions, the year culminated for six Wall Trackers in a trip to a
National Championship.
The
University of Tennessee in Knoxville played host to the Amateur Athletic Unions National Track and Field Championship the
week of August 3rd through the 11th. Matt Melton led off
for Wall Track on August 4th, during the grueling sub-midget boys Pentathlon, taking home a 5th place
medal. Melton also picked up a 4th place medal for the individual
High Jump competition. He also ran a personal best 1500 Meter Run (5:11), good
for 11th in the nation. His 80 Meter Hurdles time was good for 18th
out of 35 in the preliminaries.
Walls
Kim DeTalvo, turning 15 and heading for Wall High School this Fall, finished her Track Club career competing in three events
at Knoxville. DeTalvo finished 17th
nationally in the Youth Girls Javelin with a throw of 73-6.5. She
added a 24th place finish in the Discus with a throw of 71-7, and 28th in the Shot Put, throwing 31-1.5.
One
of the toughest efforts of the meet was turned in by Midget Boy Robert Rahn in the 80 Meter Hurdles. Rahn tripped on the first hurdle, losing his footing and hitting the track hard. Nevertheless, Rahn got to his feet and got back in the race, finishing 7th in his heat with
an 18.72. Rahn also competed in the High Jump, clearing 4 feet, good for 29th
in the meet.
Another
Wall Tracker earning a trip to Knoxville in the Midget Boys Division was Dave Curtis.
Curtis was another multiple event competitor, throwing 51-6.5 in the Discus, and 23-4.5 in the Shot Put, finishing
32nd and 36th in the nation respectively.
The
youngest Wall Tracker making a National appearance was Nick Ruding who competed in the Primary Boys Division. Ruding competed in the Long Jump, jumping 8-5.75, good for 28th in the competition.
Meaghan Kacsmar was the only Wall Tracker making an appearance in the USA Track And Field Championship, held July 23rd
28th at Harry A Burke Stadium in Omaha Nebraska. Where Wall Trackers
at Knoxville had to contend with oppressive heat, Kacsmar had to deal with torrential rain which came down in buckets at various
intervals throughout the meet. Despite the rain, Kacsmar, who competed in the
tough 400 Meter run at the Midget Girls Division, finished 14th in a field of 34 with a 1:04.26.
