Fitness and nutrition training a part of program

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What started as a fitness and recreation program could end in an Olympic medal, that's if Barb Larocque, coach of the 4 Nations Track and Field Club, has her way.

"You have to think big," said Larocque.

The club is for people six years of age to adult.

It has almost 30 regular participants, and they train for events such as sprints, long-distance running, running long jump-standing long jump for the younger ones-high jump, discus, javelin, shot put and steeplechase. About the only events they don't train for is hurdles and pole vault.

The track club was started in November last year, but it did not really start rolling until Larocque got involved in April and volunteered her time.

"I wanted to give the younger kids something to do to keep them from joining the gangs," said Larocque. "That is why I got involved."

Allen Nepoose is another volunteer who believes strongly enough in the club to serve as a part-time assistant coach.

It's fun to get out and train with the kids, said Nepoose.

Fran Potts also serves as a behind-the-scenes co-ordinator for the club and is the director of the recreation centre. Potts helps to plan trips and raises funds.

To date the club has participated at track meets in Edmonton, St. Albert, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Calgary.

Larocque said participation is the most important aspect of the club. She lets the kids continue with events they are not necessarily good at provided they want to continue and show good effort.

In addition to the club being inclusive, Larocque said it has several top calibre athletes who are doing very well and who can compete with the best at the track meets they attend.

Larocque also teaches the kids about basic anatomy and she identifies specific muscle groups they use in training for the different events. She also talks about the importance of fitness and good nutrition involving a traditional diet.

The 4 Nations Track and Field Club competes on the Athletics Alberta circuit, and all athletes must be affiliated. The club covers the cost of affiliation with Athletics Alberta.

The club gets some funding from band council, but for the most part they rely on bingos and bottle drives to raise money for track shoes and to travel to attend track meets.

Larocque hopes that as the club becomes more established it will obtain more funding to attend more meets and better equip the kids.

She described a situation in which one of the younger children on the team asked when they were going to get a nice tent to put up against the wind and rain at track meets like the other teams.

Larocque also described how the young people compete in sweats and jeans where the other teams have brand new uniforms.

"We will get them uniforms one day," she said.

Lack of uniforms has not stopped the kids from doing their best and the club has won several medals at the five meets they have attended.

One of the stand-out athletes is 16-year-old James Reindeer. Reindeer prefers long distance running and won a recent three-kilometre road race competing against adults in Hobbema.

Reindeer said track and field is fun and that other people should come out.

Ashley Cutarm, 15, is another stand out. She likes to compete in discus, long jump and running.

Cutarm offers this simple advice to people considering joining the club.

"You should come out if you have nothing to do," she said.