Penn-Trafford launches youth cross country, track and field program

Basketball, soccer, flag football, wrestling — Greg Shogan’s 6-year-old son, Connor, has tried out almost every youth sport available to him.

Wrestling has become a favorite. But when it came to the other sports, the part Connor enjoyed the most was not the game itself, Greg Shogan said.

“When he was playing baseball, he liked playing baseball, but he really liked running around the bases — same as when he tried other sports,” said Shogan, 41, of Penn Township. “He liked the running part of it, and I noticed that with a lot of other kids.”

That’s why Shogan — a runner, cyclist, triathlete and pole vaulter — decided to start a USA Track & Field-certified youth cross country and track program for Connor and his Penn-Trafford classmates.

How it works

The program, open to students in kindergarten through sixth grade, launched its first cross country season in August. Practices are held three times a week — at Penn Middle School’s track on Monday and at Bushy Run Battlefield on Wednesday and Saturday.

Athletes will compete in six meets throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania, racing between 1.25 and 1.86 miles based on their age. The first race will take place Sept. 20 at Allegheny County’s White Oak Park.

Track and field will pick up in the spring, allowing athletes to compete in a variety of jumping, throwing and running events — including long, triple and high jump, pole vault, shot put, discus, javelin, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3200m and the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Pole vault will only be open to athletes based on their ability, Shogan said, and all of the throwing events will use age-appropriate implements.

Shogan also plans to hold once-a-week conditioning workouts during the winter months.

“The practices have been going really good. We have a really good turnout. All the kids are really engaged with it,” he said. “We got some really helpful volunteers that a couple of them are now coaches. We got our uniforms ordered. They came in. It’s an official team now.”

‘A good sport to have around’

Lauren Stein, a volunteer coach for the team, is excited to watch her daughter, Gracelyn, a third grade student in the district, compete in the track events in the spring.

“She really enjoys it,” said Stein, of Penn Township. “I think (the program) is great, because I feel like it gives them something else to do instead of just sitting in front of the TV or screens. It’s also a social outing. It’s a fun thing with their friends. It gets them outside.”

Shogan competed in track and field while a middle and high school student at Gateway. About 10 years ago, he got back into the endurance sports world — competing in adult pole vault events, coaching pole vault at Penn-Trafford High School, racing 5Ks, cycling with a local club and competing in triathlons.

Shogan’s ultimate goal is to encourage children to pursue Penn-Trafford’s middle and high school cross country and track teams when they get older. He is following the example set by his high school coach, Tom LaBuff — a retired Gateway English teacher who coached cross country and track in the district for more than 50 years.

“I think it’s a good sport to have around. When I was in high school, there seemed to be a lot more kids on the team,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s kind of…an up and down with numbers, but I think it’s something kind of important to keep around.”

Registration has closed for the cross country season, but spring track and field sign ups will open in January. For more information on the program, find “Penn-Trafford Youth Track” on Facebook or visit penntraffordtrackclub.com.