LEWISTON — All it took to rescue the city’s community track program was a community to step forward.
“We had our first meet on Thursday, last week, and because of the rain we only managed get in one day of practice,” Kim Wettlaufer, coach of the Lewiston Recreation Department’s track program, said.
Wettlaufer is also an assistant coach for Lewiston High School’s track team, including the girls’ high school 400-meter relay that took state honors this spring.
“So Thursday, the girls four-by-one (hundred) relay in 9-10 and 11-12 age groups both won easily,” he said. “So I called the high school’s head coach and said ‘Hey, we’ve got more coming up.’ I think that’s the idea, to generate some interest in the sport among the younger kids that have not been exposed to it.”
As of Friday, the team had 70 participants; by Monday, it was up to 85.
“That’s how many signed up,” he said. “Some may not finish it off, but if we end up with 65 or so at the end of the season, that’ll be great.”
It’s a big change from last summer, with fewer than 30 participants.
Parent Adilah Muhammad said the program was struggling last year, and organizers at the city were discussing folding. They’d send their kids across the river to become part of Auburn’s program.
That wasn’t acceptable to her son, 11-year-old Jabreel. He’d won shot put honors for his age group last year and hoped to repeat in 2015.
“He said, ‘I don’t want to win it for Auburn,'” she said. “He’d been playing for Lewiston with those kids, and he wanted to celebrate with those same kids.”
The problems were twofold. The number of children participating were dwindling, and dropped below 30 last year.
At the same time, costs were increasing. Membership fees were between $45 and $50, plus participants needed to pay a membership fee to the U.S. Track and Field organization and fees for each tournament, as well as transportation costs.
Lewiston had a U.S. Track and Field-sanctioned program for 5- to 14-year-olds for years.
“We are one of the oldest registered clubs,” Joline Banaitis, Lewiston’s Recreation Department director, said. “We’ve had staffing changes over time. But over the latter years, the numbers were in decline.”
Only 27 kids participated last summer — not enough to keep it going.
Banaitis said a big part of the cost was paying coaches, so that’s where the solution came in. Wettlaufer is donating his time, and Tree Street Youth and Maine Immigrant Refugee Services agreed to pay his seven assistant coaches, taking that cost off the city’s books.
Excalibur Title and Visbaras Law agreed to purchase T-shirts for team uniforms.
As a result, registration fees went down to $15 per participant. And with that, the numbers swelled.
“It’s grown the program,” Banaitis said. “It’s going to have a big impact for a long time.”
Last year, the Lewiston team had been part of the Augusta, Skowhegan group. That meant travel was expensive and spectators might have had a hard time seeing the meets.
This year, Lewiston is a part of the Auburn, Poland and Brunswick group.
“So the matches are all much closer,” Muhammad said. “That was part of the idea, make it available so the parents can come, or the older brothers and sisters as well.”
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