More than 3,000 athletes are expected to journey to Mechanicsville, Virginia in December to compete at Pole Green Park. Home to the Lee-Davis High School Cross Country team, high school district and regional competition, and the USATF Virginia Association, Pole Green Park is a 232-acre park in Hanover County. With rolling terrain and a challenging hill, Pole Green Park has proven to be an outstanding site for Virginia cross country meets.
Competition takes place in five two-year age divisions, from ages 10 & under to age 18. Check the USATF calendar for meet listings to find where you can begin your journey to the National Championships and the experience of a lifetime.
The USATF Virginia Association, Hanover Country Parks & Recreation, the Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Sports Backers (Richmond Region Sports Commission) are proud hosts of the 2008 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships.
The USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships attracts more than 3,000 athletes aged 8 to 18 from all 57 USATF Associations who will compete for boys' and girls' titles in five age divisions. The event is expected to result in an estimated economic impact of $500,000 for the region.
“Besides the economic benefits for Hanover and the region, this event will spotlight youth running in our community,” said Sports Backers executive director Jon Lugbill. “We hope to motivate Richmond region youth to take up running after seeing the best from around the country compete here.”
“Hanover County has put together a great course in Pole Green Park,” said Jim Holdren, president of Virginia USATF. “We expect a lot of local athletes to seize upon the home-course advantage to vie for qualifying spots in the championship. A lot of the credit goes to Lee-Davis cross country and track parents who do a great job of maintaining the permanent cross country course at Pole Green Park that will be used for the championships.”
Sports Backers is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization founded in October 1991 to build a more vibrant community through sports. The mission of the organization is to maximize the community benefits of sports tourism in the region by
Creating, attracting and improving significant sporting events,
Serving as a resource in the development and utilization of sports facilities and
Aiding area youth through sports outreach programs.
These activities and programs strengthen the economy, provide health benefits to participants and make the region a more desirable place to live.
