Las Vegas youth track club members to head to Junior Olympics

It's the culmination of physical effort.

All the running, arm pumping and gasping for breath comes down to this moment.

Right now, 16 members of the Las Vegas Heat Youth Track Club are competing in the Junior Olympics through Sunday at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kan.

It's the most athletes the team has sent to the event.

In February, 14-year-old Aryn Maxwell told View Neighborhood Newspapers that it was her goal to qualify for the national event. The middle-distance runner has now turned that goal into reality.

"I learned I can reach my potential and that I can run faster than I normally can," she said. "When it comes down to it, I really wanted it."

The goal? To take home a medal.

"I try to imagine the people who are going to be next to me, if they'll be in front of me, and when I should kick in when I need to," Aryn said. "I'll try to catch somebody, but if there's nobody to really run with me, I'll catch an imaginary person to help me push through."

Sometimes that imaginary being is a rabbit, she admits with a chuckle.

The team, which is a member of USA Track & Field, is coached by Capt. Cedric Williams, spokesman for the North Las Vegas Fire Department.

"They're really excited for the opportunity to compete against kids from all over the country," Williams said. "To reach that ultimate goal they've worked all year for is exciting for them and their parents."

Last year, seven of his athletes made it to the event, with six winning medals. Whether they're in kindergarten or high school, the coach pushes them all the same.

The nonprofit group requires athletes to maintain a C average during the school year.

"It's more about having great athletes off the track that will be future leaders," Williams said. " ... It's always been huge to make sure our kids are better citizens than athletes ... there's tons of talent on this team."

The $180 registration fee and the trips to meet out of town, among other expenses, can be costly for the athletes and their families, Williams said. The group offsets those costs with various fundraisers, but Williams spent around $4,000 of his own money last year to help cope with rising travel expenses . The program's dozen or so coaches are all volunteers.

Some of the kids come from homes with little money. Many have aspirations of becoming professional athletes when they grow up.

"This team has come a long way," Williams said. "They've trained four nights a week for at least two hours a day, and it's finally paid off. The lights were coming on in certain parts of the year. It's been an emotional year. It's a lifetime achievement for them."

Some athletes won races they didn't expect to win, he added.

"They would come off the track crying because they were so happy," Williams said. "Those are the moments throughout the year that make what I do and what the rest of my staff does worthwhile."

Contact Downtown and North Las Vegas View reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@viewnews.com or 383-0492.