Victor Kruppenbacher wrote:

The boys (Brandon and Gordon) started in track at the 2004 Celebration of Running put on by the Track Shack. They were Cub Scouts working on a physcial fitness belt loop.  We went to the race to watch not knowing that at the end of the race they had a kids mile run. While they were lining  up to run, a lady by the name of Betsy Hughes told them to come on and try. They quickly jumped at the chance and ran the mile in flip flops, with Gordon beating Brandon.

Weeks later Brandon asked to run in more races so we went to the Track Shack to buy him his first pair of running shoes. At that point we learned that Betsy Hughes was owner of the Tack Shack. On every visit to the store Brandon has made a point of saying hello to her.

This is the seven season of Brandon running track and cross country. He has run 2 season unattached and five with teams.

He got started Race Walking by accident. We were at the FINESSE meeting two season ago. The team went to the meet by bus. The bus had to be back in Orlando by a set time and the meet was running long.  He was going to miss his last running event. He told the coach he wanted to run one more event and the coach told him no unless he figure out how to do the  very next event which the 1500 race walk. Never having done the event, he copied the
form of some of his team mates. He feel in love with the sport  and finds it the best part of track.

Brandon made it to Nationals in Detroit his first season. He had a great race and had his name of the scoreboard has having finishing third. Minutes later he was DQ'd. At the start of the next season he race walked out at an
event at UCF, again getting DQ'd. I thought for sure he would give up but it taught him a lesson on working hard and sticking with your goal. With the support of Coach Don, he walks and participates with a lot more confidence.

As a father of three sons, I have seen them go through a number of sports, from track and cross country, football (both flag and tackle), basketball, fencing and baseball. It is the time we have spent at track meets and road
races that has been the best father and son time. We have bonded and grown together. The medals are exciting but the time we have spent together is even more exciting. I hope that the parents of the primary and bantams
stick with it, it's is a great experience.

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Michelle Heister wrote:

Davis and Harris have been running since 2006 and started Race Walking in 2008.  Since they started race walking, they have qualified for the National Junior Olympic games each year, medaling in 2009 and 2010.  These past four years, however, have been more about the friendships they have made than the hardware.  Not only have they made lasting friendships with team members, but also with athletes from all over the US.

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Regan (age 10) wrote:

Track and field is my favorite hobby because you get to push yourself harder and faster every day.  By running, jumping, pushing, throwing, and walking you  will maintain a healthy lifestyle but you will also have more confidence in yourself.

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