If you drive along streets that are near any school, you'll see kids running in the streets. Big kids, little kids, high schoolers, and club kids, all getting ready for the season.  All have their eyes on getting into shape for the Indoor, Spring and Summer Track & Field.

This past summer ended great with over 1,500 kids from all over the US performing for the AAU Junior Olympics in New Orleans.  Below is an article that I thought parents would find very interesting.  Sign your kids up for what may be a great experience in their lifetime.

NEW RECORD: Lakeland Girl Gets Jump on Field Competitors

July 12, 2011   AAU Kristina originally published at www.theledger.com

Written by: Lisa Coffey



Lakeland, FL– If only Curtis Williams had a dollar for every time he scolded his 4-year-old daughter, Chelsi, to stop jumping on the furniture.

He’d probably cash them all in happily for what she did Sunday — a result of all that wild jumping.

Competing against 5-year-olds, the Lakeland youngster set an AAU national record for the age group in the long jump, leaping 6 feet, 9 inches en route to a gold medal at the AAU Primary National Track and Field Championships at the ESPN Disney Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista.

This from a petite girl who, at roughly 42 inches tall, is barely big enough for the bumper cars at a theme park.
(Read More)

July 16, 2011 was officially ended our summer season with the Georgia State Games. The team had an awesome season, lots of kids set person records. 

Amin Abdur-Rahim placed third in the shot put with a throw of 25' 1/2", which is another personal best for him.  Two weeks prior at the AAU Area 6 Championship he threw 23' 2 1/2".  For the next 2 weeks we will continue our training for 2011 AAU Junior Olympics.  We are still on track for more personal records. Stay tuned for what the competition produce.

During our 2011 Summer Track season we have been very busy.  In June we competed in the AAU Georgia District Championship and the AAU Area 6 Championship in Augusta, GA.  Out of the 8 athletes who competed, ECCTC has produced 3 athletes in 4 events to go on to the AAu Junior Oylmpic Games in New Orleans, LA from July 30 - August 6, 2011.

Amin Abdur-Rahiem is a rising 6th grader at East Cobb Middle School.  He participated in the shot put.  He has never thrown a shot put before but gave an excellent effort with a throw of 23'2 1/2".

Above with Coach L is Asha & Maurice Abdur-Rahiem has earned an opportunity as well to compete in the AAU Junior Olympic Games. Asha, a rising sophomore at Wheeler High School, will compete in both the shot put and the discus.  She has thrown 26' 1", which is a personal best of over 3 feet from Wheeler High School.  She also threw the discus 59' 11".  Maurice, a Wheeler High School graduate, qualified for the High Jump by clearing a jump of 6' 1 1/2".

We are now getting ready for New Orleans in practice.  We will have another tune up meet July 17, 2011 at the Georgia State Games at Marietta High School. 

Stay tune for more updates.

Drew Barber is a rising 2nd grader at Eastvalley Elementary School in East Cobb.  This year was his first time ever competing in track & field.  He placed 5th in the 200M dash at Cobb County Youth Track League County Championship, earning his and ECCTC first ribbon ever.  Congrats Drew!

Spring Track is over, but boy did we have fun.  As a new club, I've had people ask me over and over, why a track club.  Well if you know anything about me, it's simply for the love of it.  I began running as a 5th grade and it took me all the way through college.

But bigger than that, it's for the kids.  I had a small spring group of kids that were simply awesome!  All of my kids had never run before so I hope you can grasp my excitement when I tell you they have shown up and showed out.  Drew Barber from Eastvalley Elementary School brought home a first East Cobb Cheetahs County Championship.  How cool is that?!

We have athletes who have increase their times in just three months, but 3 seconds.  If you know anything about track 3 seconds is an incredible accomplishments.  At our last track meet of the sesaon, we had a kid, who never threw the shot put before, throw it 19 feet.  We had an awesome season!

Summer practice is in full swing and we are getting ready to travel to all the big meets.  We'll be in Augusta, Fayetteville, Myrtle Beach, etc. looking to do our best and compete with kids all over te world. 

Join us, wish us luck, but keep your eyes on the Cheetahs.  We are fast and

Oh what a difference a few weeks make in Georgia.  A few short weeks ago, we were locked in our homes because the "Ice Storm of 2011" brought movement to a halt in the metro Atlanta area.  Yesterday, we had our first practice, of the season and of the club, and it was 70 degrees, sunny, and simply beautiful.

My young athletes were excited and full of energy.  They were learning something new and spending time with friends on a beautiful day.  Youth is a wonderful thing.  I watched these young athletes take on a structured running routine for the first time in their lives, and they did it well.  I'm a proud mother all over again.  They were experiencing pain, but their young bodies were still willing to try things they'd never done before, and keep it movin'.  They completed the work out from top to bottom.  They complained, but through it all you could see their competitive nature rear it's little head.  Simply put, they were awesome.

We look forward to a great season.  The kids are already sharing their stories with family and friends and we've only been together for ONE day.  Now that's a great foundation!

OK, enough already.  Georgia has been hit with it's "Winter Snowstorm of 2011," what a way to start the year. Our first registration date was canceled due to inclement weather.  But, that's not going to stop us.  We are looking forward to getting ready for our very first track season, and since the storm had us all indoors, we are just anxious to get outside.

Our first practice will be at Wheeler High School, 375 Holt Road, Marietta, GA 30068 from 4 - 6 pm.  Before practice begins athlete should have a good pair of sneakers to run in.  Our very first sponsor is Big Peach Running Co., located at 1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA 30068.  Stop by to get all your extra running gear and receive a 10% on everything in the store by simply mentioning East Cobb Cheetahs Track Club.

We are excited about what's to come. Stay connected with us we're in for an exciting season.