16Ways track team ended 2022 with another consecutive good season. Competitively, the goal is always to qualify as many team members as possible for the AAU Junior Olympic Games; 32 athletes represented 16Ways in Greensboro, NC, July 26 – August 6. Our young men and women braved extreme temperatures, pushed past emotional and physical aches and minor injuries, and ultimately, earned five medals: two bronze, one silver, and two gold.
However, the true rewards of being members of the 16Ways track team supersede athletic performance. Specifically, the rewards of young people participating in athletic events have been compiled by the CDC (see the image below).
Many of our athletes come to us with issues that include poor academic performance, anxiety, low self-esteem, and other emotional challenges, but after engaging in the nurturing environment that Coach Derrick and his assist coaching staff provide, every 16Ways track athlete recognizes that the team is a family, and family supports and uplifts. Therefore, when our athlete family members move beyond our program, they are whole. The 16Ways Track Team is one of our most enriching programs.