The Gliders began the season with our kick-off meeting in March and practice got underway later in the month. In May, high school Gliders competed and won medals in the High School State Championships while the Gliders hosted its 17th annual Spring Track Classic Track Meet at Lake Brantley High School. The meet was attended by over 700 athletes from all over the state and several meet records were broken.

Later in May, the team participated in the Baytaf Classic in the Tampa area and then in June the AAU State Qualifying Track Meet for Central Florida. The Gliders qualified 27 athletes to the AAU State Championships here in Orlando and captured 6 state titles and qualified 17 athletes to the AAU National Jr. Olympic Games, in Detroit, MI.  Several Gliders also competed in the AAU National Club Championships at Disney and captured 4 national titles and won 17 total medals. Additionally, this year we had an athlete compete in the USA Jr. Nationals in Columbus, OH for the World Jr. Team.

At the recent AAU Jr. Olympics National Track & Field Championships in Ypsilanti (Detroit), MI at the Eastern Michigan University track, the Gliders earned 10 medals, including a Bronze Medal in the Midget boys 4x800m relay, two Silver Medals in the Multi-event competition and four other medals in the distance events. Travel stipends were awarded by the club to the athletes that participated in the AAU National Olympic Games. While in Detroit, the Gliders had a picnic on Belle Isle and attended a concert.

The Gliders concluded the season with the annual picnic this year at Rock Springs Park catered by CK Jerk Shack, where the athletes and coaches were recognized. It should also be noted that the track team this year helped several needy families with food, cloths and a computer. Many thanks go to our major sponsors that made this track season possible: Altamonte Sports, Bioplus, Bubbalou’s Bar-B-Q, Cocoa Cola, Glatting Foundation, Joseph CPA, Fleet Feet, Margarita’s Restaurant, Podschun Eyecare, Turner Construction, Wal-Mart, Velocity Sports and the Track Shack Foundation. www.cfgliders.com

PRESS RELEASE

August 3, 2008

At the recent AAU Jr. Olympics National Track & Field Championships in Ypsilanti (Detroit), MI at the Eastern Michigan University track, the Central Florida Gliders Track Club earned a Bronze Medal third place in the boys 4x 800m relay team in the Midget Boys (11 & 12 yrs) age division, two Silver Medals in the Multi-event competition and three other medals in the distance events.

Brenda Villarreal-Acevedo of Altamonte Springs earned the Silver Medal with a second place finish in the Triathlon in the girls Sub-bantam (9 year old) age  division while Neamen Wise also of Altamonte Springs earned the Silver Medal in the Decathlon in the Young Men (17 & 18 yrs) age division. Neamen also earned special recognition for winning the Joe Ferrell Memorial Award as the Outstanding Performer in all the Multi-event competition based on his performance, sportsmanship and attitude.

The baton of the Bronze Medal third place Midget relay team was moved around the track by Matthew Gargiulo of Chuluota, Max Robinson of Altamonte Springs, Xaviera Wilson of Orlando and anchored by Paul McCloud of Orlando. Max also earned two other medals on the track with fourth place finish in the 3000 meters and a fifth place finish in the 1500 meters while Paul earned a sixth place finish in the 1500 meters. Also in the 1500 meters, Alex Boucher of Maitland earned a national medal with a seventh place finish in the Boys Sub-bantam (9 year old) age division.

Also competing for the Gliders at the AAU National Championships was Jackson Boucher of Maitland, Trace Christian of Altamonte Springs, Maurice Nock of Sanford and Jaylen Rodriquez of Altamonte Springs, all in the Bantam Boys division; Alyssa Christian of Altamonte Springs in the Midget Girls (12 year old) division; Giovani Villarreal of Altamonte Springs and Tiffany Gargiulo of Chuluota in the Intermediate Girls (15-16 year old) division.

Many thanks to our sponsors and supporters that helped make it happen from coaches

Al Clay, Felix Acevedo, Mark Robinson and Craig Wise.

Complete results available at www.aausports.com