Lawrence Track Club runner Parker Davies gets set for an event during the LTC's track meet Saturday at Lawrence High.

With the sun shining down on the Lawrence High track on a perfect spring afternoon Saturday, members of the Lawrence Track Club raced, jumped and threw for the first time this season.

The club’s first meet of the year – a developmental track meet where athletes get a feel for events and figure out what events are their strongest – had around 200 registered participants, more than 30 of which were LTC members.

This marked the only time this year the LTC, established in 1975, will compete in Lawrence. For the remainder of the spring and summer, its athletes will attempt to qualify for events at other Kansas locales.

First-year LTC coach Garen Stacey said he wants team members to get a feel for track and field events so they can grow as athletes.

LTC members vary greatly in age. Many are in grade school and junior high.

“For a lot of the kids, this is their first opportunity to do track,” Stacey said. “I want them to have a good time and learn the basic fundamental of track, and I want them to learn what it means to compete as a team.”

He said learning will be enhanced once the club’s high school members join. They are currently still competing for their schools and will join the club at the end of their respective seasons.

Stacey said the more experienced athletes can serve as role models for the youngsters.

“I have a little bit higher expectations for them being leaders and getting them to help with the (younger) kids and teach them the way that they’ve learned,” he said. “Some of the kids are pretty competitive and so their intensity level is a lot higher and that rubs off on the younger kids.”

For now, many of the younger kids are just out having fun and making friends.

Abi Hartzell, 13, is in her second year of competitive track and said she has fun working on her skill sets.

“I really like to run,” she said.

Meeting new people has made it fun as well.

“In practice you make the most friends, but you meet new people at events,” Hartzell said.

Jackson Lockwood, 12, competes in the 100-meter run, long jump and high jump events for LTC. The Deerfield Elementary student said he is glad LTC provides him with an opportunity to compete. “Being on the team feels really cool because I’ve never been on a track club before,” he said.

For Lockwood, the exhilaration of competition keeps him going and his favorite event is the high jump. “Going high in the air,” he said was the most fun for him. “It feels exciting when you have the most hops.”

Even more exciting is having teammates on the sidelines and people in the stands on your side at a meet.

“A lot of people cheer you on,” Lockwood said. “They always want you to win, and it helps you go faster and jump higher because you know people are cheering for you.”

Ultimately, Lockwood hopes the experience will make him a better athlete. “I’m out here to have fun and get faster and faster every time,” he said.

Marissa Pope already has four years of track and field under her belt, and she is only nine years old. She said competing beats staying at home. “Instead of sitting on the couch, you can actually be up and doing things and learning things like long jump and high jump and shot put,” she said.

Pope said being an LTC member can be hard work, but there are benefits. “It’s harder because you’re always in the sun and it takes all your energy,” she said. “But it’s also fun because you can meet new people from other teams.”

Although meeting other athletes is nice, Pope said LTC teammates are even better. “When you’re trying to relax and you have no one to talk to your friends from the team come and talk with you,” she said. “At the end of the year, everyone knows everyone so they’re all friends.”

LTC coaches help create a friendly atmosphere. Pope said during some pre-meet practices the team will play dodgeball or kickball so they don’t wear themselves out.

“They push us harder and harder each week and they make practice fun and hard at the same time,” she said.

“I just want the kids to better themselves and have a good opportunity to compete,” Stacey said.