Track-O-Rama Brings Out The Spirit of Sportsmanship
March 7, 2023
SUPERIOR, WI - The Spartan community was buzzing on March 2 as 5th graders across the school district took center stage.
Track-O-Rama returned to UW-Superior's Marcovich Wellness Center, and every elementary school, including the private school Cathedral, was well represented. Families and friends cheered on their little ones from the second-floor balcony or watched the live iFan.tv stream.
The event began with a morning speech from Great Lakes Physical Education Teacher Samantha Birman, who laid out expectations for the track meet and how students are encouraged to support each other.
"We've spent a lot of time working with you, talking about good sportsmanship. Well, today we are going to see it," Birman said during her speech. "Most of us will never remember what place you got today. Because that is not the most important thing, it's about how you handle it."
Shortly after a quick meeting with each team, the games started with one of the most watched competitions, the Tug-O-War. After three intense rounds, it came down to Northern Lights and Four Corners. NLE used their size to their advantage and pulled the red flag over the finish line, claiming their 17th trophy since 2004.
Following the event, racers took their talents to the track. Spectators were wowed by a magical performance by Great Lakes' Nate Shultz. He finished with two 1st-place ribbons, including breaking the boys 100 & 200-meter dash Track-O-Rama records.
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The four-hour event concluded with every student cheering on their new friends from different schools. Ribbons were handed out, but the most important message was about sportsmanship and handling winning and losing.
"The students were able to compete in their events, and at the end of the day, get along with the kids from the other schools," said SHS Head Track Coach Kristopher Leopold. "That told me that our Physical Education teachers and 5th-grade classroom teachers got the right message across to the kids."
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Birman reflected on the day as students, staff members, and families started to file out of the fieldhouse.
"The sportsmanship was the best it's ever been. We got to witness our students transfer the life skills we teach them in class to the real world," Birman said. "The way our students handled themselves through the wins and losses was impressive, to say the least. Listening to them cheer and clap for one another during the awards ceremony was pure joy. I'm very proud of the hard work all our students and staff put in to make the day so successful."
Congratulations to everyone who competed! The Spartan Family is so proud of you!