It’s been a long wait for a couple of local athletes to compete at the national level.
Pole vaulter Zander Brannan and discus thrower Micah Velten will get that opportunity this weekend in San Diego. The two are part of the Whitesboro Summer Track Program and qualified to compete nationally at the State of Texas Games sponsored by the Texas Amateur Athletic federation (TAAF) last summer.
This national competition is held every two years. The Whitesboro Summer Track program had four athletes qualify for the national competition in total, with two being able to make the trip to California to compete.
Qualifying for the national meet allows the athletes to compete in multiple events. Brannan will be competing in the 800-meter run and the pole vault, while Velten will be competing in discus and shot put.
The athletic competition is different from UIL school-sponsored athletics in that it is broken down by age group rather than by grade or school. The two athletes will be competing in the Under 16 age group against other athletes from all over the country. They have been practicing all summer with the rest of the summer track athletes and competing at meets. In fact, they just qualified for the State Games of Texas again in their regional meet last week.
Both have been lifelong competitors in the Summer Track Program. Starting at the age of five, they have spent years growing their skills and working toward this goal.
The Summer Track Program has been very fortunate to have the coaches and community support to offer this opportunity to local children. Lynn Baillio has been coaching the throwers (discus and shot put) for over 20 years for the program and has had several of his coached athletes compete nationally, including his son, Hayden, who still holds several records.
Brannan has been coached by Sky Touchers in Denton on his pole vaulting. It is a skill he only recently took up, and he has excelled in it both in the amateur competitions and at UIL school competitions.
Both athletes are entering their junior year at Whitesboro High School where they compete on multiple athletic teams for the school district. Results of the State of Texas Games will be posted next week.
