October 25, 2024
Student athletes are gearing up for the inaugural cross-country event of the newly launched Secondary School Athletics League, set to take place at the Botanical Gardens.
The league, under the theme “Discipline, Athleticism, and Education,” is designed to promote both the academic and athletic development of young talent.
Co-director Orin Thomas emphasized that one of the league’s primary objectives is to provide scholarship opportunities for student-athletes, helping them advance in both their educational and sporting careers.
He believes that offering such incentives can greatly increase the chances of developing elite athletes by giving them access to collegiate-level resources.
The league, co-directed by long-time athletics administrators Aubrey Hutson and Charles Nester, aims to build gradually, ensuring the quality of the competition evolves alongside its expansion.
Hutson highlighted that the league will remain focused on developing athletes in a structured and sustainable way.
The first event of the league will be a cross-country team competition, which will feature male and female runners in three categories: 13 years and under, 15 years and under, and an open category.
The event will take place at 14:00 hours at the Botanical Gardens, where athletes will compete for medals, trophies, and running kits.
The top three finishers will receive prizes, and the top five will earn points toward the overall league standings.
The league is made up of eight schools, including Wismar Christianburg, Mackenzie High, Bygeval Secondary, Golden Grove Secondary, Bladen Hall Secondary, Chase Academy, New Campbellville Secondary, and Tutorial High.
Following the cross-country event, track and field competitions will be held in April and June next year.