Published: July 05, 2008 10:50 pm            

CONARD: H-A Kids Track Meet is a treasure

It doesn’t get any better than this — a virtual flood of big-eyed, boy-girl live wires, ages two to 11, bearing their souls unabashedly for all to see in the 25th Annual Heart-Throb Olympics, better known as the Haynes-Apperson Sports Festival’s Kids Track Meet.

For more than two hours Saturday, fabled Kautz Field was overwhelmed by the crême de la crême of the City of Firsts, hundreds of humanity’s purest jumping and dashing scot-free of expectation, demand and the glare of hardware. Nothing, it seems, beats unhinged innocence.

Ribbons? Of course.

But the real rewards were the beaming faces of just plain kids unleashing energies they never knew existed, bolting into the arms with parents, families and friends who suddenly realized first, second, third, last, etc., were one and the same.

How does one explain or match the joy of Ron and Geana Moore watching 2-year-old daughter Hannah soar all of 2 feet in the long jump? Or Darcie and Matt York witnessing 2-year-old daughter Lillian lunge an almost equal 23 inches? Or Tod and Amy Howard viewing 2-year-old son Aidan placing third off the board, a mere whisker out of second? Or Jason and Andee Fetterhoff after 4-year-old son Jason took first with a leap of 25 inches?

Former Mayor Jim Trobaugh was ecstatic after watching 5-year-old granddaughter Olivia Hicks, the daughter of “Doc” and Christy, win the long jump (38 inches) and 25-yard run — no surprise in lieu of the renowned athleticism of “Doc.” It was easy for Jim to recall his Wildkat water boy days and memories of storied Kautz Field when his dad, Tubby, was the grid tutor, images as bold as ever.

Just to prove priceless comes in small packages, Sam and Max Kitchell, the 3-year-old twin sons of Ryan and Molly Kitchell, each bounded a foot off the board. Grandfather Dave subtly whispered, “Don’t say anything, but I think there’s an asterisk involved for ‘Grandmother assistance.’” Five-year-old granddaughter Grace completed the Kitchell coup with a mad dash in the 25-yard run.

To be sure, bouncing offsprings have their own inimitable styles of surprise and deliverance. Alternately, they balk, renege and bolt at their own pace; make us roll our eyes, sob or laugh and pull the unexpected, then give us their best “How ‘bout that?” pose — all for the price of one.

Unpredictable is not an adjective, merely a way of life.

Like all of us, youngsters get into “ruts”. Examples? Try 10-year-old Andrecus Eddington and 11-year-old Jania Eddington, the son and daughter of Andrecus Sr. and wife Jia.

Andrecus Jr., who also plays soccer, football and basketball at Sts. Joan and Patrick, won the 50-yard dash for his fourth blue banner. Jania, a sixth-grader at Taylor intermediate who dabbles in soccer, nabbed her third blue ribbon in the 50 and went 6 feet, 9 inches in the long jump for second. Remember the names Andrecus and Jania, but look quickly.

The “Layden Factor” did a double-take Saturday via 6-year-old Madison and 3-year-old sister McKenna, the daughters of Tri-Central basketball coaches Jeff and Kathie.

Madison, a two-time blue ribbon finisher, had leaps of 37 and 39 inches in the long jump and was a shade out of second in the 25-yard dash. McKenna made her debut by winning the long jump (26 inches) and the 25-yard dash. Cole Wise, the 4-year-old son of MIke and Wendy Wise, grandson of Dave and Carol Wise and nephew of Jeff and Kathie, fared very well in both the long jump and 25-yard run. Those family “battles” will only get better.

There were more than 200 promises of the future on hand Saturday, a stark testimony to life when fun and good times are the main menu and scoreboards are illegal. The absence of striped shirts and shrieking mouth pieces was boh conspicious and gracious.

This Haynes-Apperson Kid Show was reportedly the last for Dave Granson, the guy who’s made the engine purr so smoothly for 25 years while involving 7,000 participants. To this he offered: “I step away with mixed emotions. But it’s not about me, rather, guys like Dave Barnes, Ron Barsh, Paul Linder, Terry Lower, Stu Whitcomb, Wilbur Slabaugh, Dana Neer, Dave Kitchell and so many others who’ve helped make it a success.

“It takes passion to do something like this,” he added, “and I’m sure somebody will take my place. So how do you rate things? It’s not the money but people’s satisfaction.” He recalled Kautz Field days when he played tackle for Bob Hamilton’s Wildkat football teams and had the honor of being “escorted” off by Ham during a mixup in an Indianapolis Tech game.

Barsh hinted at a last stand, and Neer — who heads a very successful Coyote KId program — credited Club Kokomo, National Anthem vocalist Robyn Tetrault, Patrick, Kristy and Kim Downing and an army of other volunteers for their assistance.

The Haynes-Apperson idea began as a dream. It is a reality because Granson and Co. cared enough to give the very best and make a difference. Unquestionably, those 7,000 kids have been an absolute joy.

But Granson and Co. have been a treasure.

        

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