The Best of Track & Field Will Compete in Greensboro

Greensboro is becoming the center for track and field meets on the East Coast. Meanwhile, hundreds of volunteers are needed to make two upcoming national track meets in the city a success.

Top athletes from across the country will compete this summer in The New Balance Outdoor Nationals and The 2013 USA Track & Field Junior Olympics National Championships. Both events will take place at A & T State University.

DePaul Mittman is a retired track and field coach with Guilford County Schools, and currently serves as the indoor state meet director for North Carolina. He also is a coordinator for the state's outdoor meets. He says the sporting events are a big draw for the region.

“We are becoming the place where people want to run,” says Mittman.

He says this year, with Junior Olympics expanding, 9,000 plus athletes will come to Greensboro, not to mention their families and event spectators.

Mittman says, “You can see the economic impact not only Greensboro, but the surrounding counties. These events are big for the restaurants, the hotels and the shopping centers in the Triad.”

According to the Greensboro Convention & Visitor's Bureau, both track meets have an estimated economic impact of around $29 million on the Triad area.

Many of today's Olympic stars begin their track and field careers competing in these meets. Mittman says city leaders successfully won bids to host both events because of its vendors, facilities, location, as well as easy access to the PTI airport and nearby hotels.

Mittman says community commitment is also a key factor for success.

“We need volunteers to help with raking the pits, helping put the cross bars up and we need volunteers at the finish line that are handling the water cups,” says Mittman. “With all of these events going on at the exact same time, we need a large number of volunteers to help us run the events and run them efficiently.”

Mittman says a total of about 850 volunteers are needed for both meets. Anyone who is high school age or over and can withstand the sun for long periods of time is encouraged to donate their time. All volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and meals.

The New Balance Outdoor Nationals will be held June 14-16. The USA Track & Field Junior Championships will be held July 22-28 at A & T's Irwin Belk track on A & T's campus.

For more information about signing up to be a volunteer contact DePaul Mittman at (336) 255-3403 or by email: depaulmittman@bellsouth.net.