Anthony 7th at Hershey finals
Five hundred boys and girls ages 9-14 came together in Hershey, Pa. Aug. 5-8 for the 33rd annual North American Finals of the Hershey Youth Track and Field Program. When the meet ended, six Maine youths walked away with hardware including three from Aroostook County. One of the Maine competitors even took first place.
Contributed photo
HERSHEY COMPETITORS – Six Maine youngsters traveled to the North American Finals of the Hershey Youth Track and Field Program in Hershey, Pa., held Aug. 5-8. In this photograph, they posed with Olympic great Carl Lewis, in back, and showed off their hardware. From left are Seraphina Provenzano of Holden, who finished eighth in the 13-14 girls 800-meter dash; Molly Anthony of Bridgewater, seventh in the 11-12 girls 100-meter dash; Tia Jackson, fourth in the 13-14 girls 100-meter dash; Kolleen Bouchard of Houlton, fifth in the 9-10 girls softball throw; James Petersen of Hermon, first in the 9-10 boys 400-meter run; and Brandon Theriault of Fort Kent, seventh in the 11-12 boys 100-meter dash.
Kolleen Bouchard of Houlton was fifth in the 9-10 girls softball throw. Bouchard was competing at her first North American Final. Returning team members, Molly Anthony of Bridgewater and Brandon Theriault of Fort Kent, both took 7th place in the 100-meter dash in the 11-12 age group. Anthony had competed in the 2008 finals and Theriault competed in 2009.
Other team members included James Petersen of Hermon, who captured first place in the 9-10 boys 400-meter event, and returning veterans Seraphina Provenzano of Holden, who placed eighth in the 13-14 girls 400-meter run, and Tia Jackson of Old Town, who placed fourth in the 13-14 girls 100-meter dash.
Northern Regional Director Kathy Mazzuchelli of the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department noted that the Hershey Food Corporation does an outstanding job at making this a special trip for all the youngsters that attend.
Mazzuchelli said that she has been committed to the program because it teaches healthy lifestyles and emphasizing personal bests not necessarily winning and losing. The program is conducted on both a recreational and educational level, teaching basic running, jumping and throwing skills in recreation programs or in schools.
During his presentation at the closing ceremonies Aug. 7, Rafer Johnson, spokesperson for the Hershey Track and Field Program, cited the 10-year-old Petersen as being representative of the spirit of the games. Petersen had met Johnson at the 2009 meet and Johnson asked James how he thought he would do in his 400-meter race. Petersen responded he wasn’t sure but would tell him after the race. True to his word, when Johnson went up to Petersen after the race and after Petersen had congratulated all the other runners on their accomplishments, the youngster excitedly informed Johnson that he had shaved two seconds off his time.
This year, Johnson and Peterson again engaged in discussion after Petersen won the 400-meter race and once again Petersen underplayed his great victory by citing improvements in his times over the year and Johnson noted that this response embodied the spirit of the games by not celebrating winning or losing but celebrating personal bests.
Former Olympic great Carl Lewis and Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross were also at the meet, engaging the youngsters and providing them with important messages about how each youngster must be responsible for their own success. In addition to the meet itself, all 500 youths are treated to a tour of the Chocolate Factory and a day at Hershey Park amusement area as well as being provided with a variety of gifts and of course, a bit of chocolate.
