Student-athletes to travel to nationals, hope to raise money for entire track team

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A total of 78 student-athletes with the Charlotte Flights track and field club have a chance to compete on a national stage after much hard work.

But head coach Nigel Orr said getting there won’t be easy getting to the Junior Olympics.

"One thing that is a little different this year is nationals is in Sacramento which is not somewhere we can just pack in the car and go there," Orr said.

He said those expenses quickly add up.

"We're talking about $800 per plane ticket, $200 per hotel room, all that kind of stuff," Orr said.

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Student-athlete Matthew Garrett has been to nationals six times and he said the unforgettable memories are something he wants all of his teammates to have.

"I've never been out to the west coast before and it'll be a new experience being out there, and I hope to run track in college, so we can meet in different states," Garrett said.

The team is now raising money to help pay for the trip to the national competition in California.

"If their hard work has led them to make it to nationals, we're trying to give as many of them as we can that opportunity to get there,” Orr said. “We just need a little help for some of them."

A trip to nationals is much more than simply a track meet but a building block to so much more.

"Being on that stage and creating that type of exposure helps with people who want to go to school for track,” Orr said. It “helps with people who have self-esteem issues and track has helped them in terms of goal-setting and work ethic and everything else."

If you would like information on how to help the track team, CLICK HERE.

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Cox Media Group