“And Cameron Langdon from Cannon Falls comes in fifth place with a time of 7 minutes and twenty six seconds!” roars the announcer over the crowd. Even though some may think that fifth place isn’t a big deal, it is, when this recipient is a sixth grader competing against seventh and eighth graders.

Track has a very wide variety of events and age groups. It is the only sport where both boys and girls can compete in a school-sponsored competition in sixth grade; the first sport where the sixth graders can compete and see what high school sports are like.

Joel Rustad is in charge of this rag-tag band of sixth graders, and needs to turn them into a mean, lean, winning machine. ”

The sixth graders are doing great, but they’re at a big size disadvantage,” he explains. ”But their competitive spirit makes up for it! Another big thing for them is that they’re gaining knowledge and experience that will give them a leg up next year.”

There are ten sixth graders in track – one third of the junior high track team. Most of the events they compete in are running – like the 100 meter dash, 200, 300, 400, 800, and 1600 – though some sixth graders participate in field events like shot put, discus, pole vault, long jump, high jump and triple jump.

Panting after that 1600, Cameron finally hears the announcer, and is proud that he was able to get on the board. Cameron and his fellow sixth graders can’t wait till the next competition to try harder and do better.