RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The Rancho Cordova Track Club has hosted two very large track & field events this June, The Golden West Invitational and the USAFT Pacific Association Championships. These events turned out to be extremely successful.

After decades of absence, Rancho Cordova has burst on to the state’s youth track and field stage. Cordova High School has been blessed with a track and field that has professional level 48-inch-wide running lanes. These are required for state and regional track meets that other high schools don’t have the facilities to host.

Additionally, last year, the City of Rancho Cordova funded, and the school district allowed the construction of new track and field throwing facilities at Cordova High School including a completely rebuilt and enlarged shot put throwing area, and a new hammer & discus throwing cage. These changes allowed the Rancho Cordova Track Club to host the internationally known Golden West Invitational track meet at Folsom Cordova Unified School District’s Cordova High. In addition, other USA Track and Field meets (USATF) are being held at Cordova High.

USATF is the official national organization for track and field in the United States. It is a part of the U.S. Olympic Committee. The events being hosted at Cordova High School's track allow our local youth to participate in USATF track meets that could eventually qualify them for participation in the USATF National Junior Olympics. Indeed, last year two Rancho Cordova Track Club (RCTC) athletes — Gian Gonzalez and Charles Sander -- qualified for competition in the Junior Olympics which were being held in Jacksonville, FL in 2021.

This year the Junior Olympics are being held at Hornet Stadium, at Sacramento State, so there is extra impetus to qualify for competition on the ultimate national state for track and field events.

“The Rancho Cordova Track Club, with tremendous support from the City of Rancho Cordova and from the Folsom Cordova Unified School District is poised to offer a tremendous number of opportunities to our Rancho Cordova community youth in these track and field events,” said Club President Dennis Lamantia. “In operation year-round, the RCTC offers conditioning, training and competition to Rancho Cordova youth athletes, giving them opportunities to grow, learn and develop skills and confidence that will serve them well in life.”

Each of these large track meets draws in thousands of people, who stay in Rancho Cordova hotels, eat at Rancho Cordova businesses and shop at Rancho Cordova stores. This is a form of economic development, but it's also a community benefit, an added amenity, a means of improving Rancho Cordova’s reputation in the region and state and a critical opportunity for our youth.

“This is one of the most exciting developments of the last decade, having a local track club to offer these opportunities to our youth,” said Rancho Cordova City Councilmember David Sander, a Jesuit High School track and field throwing coach and RCTC coach. “When you think about this opportunity, combined with a tremendous sports legacy of Cordova High School and the new and soon to be open Rancho Cordova youth center, the future for kids in our community is incredibly bright!”

Standout performances by the Rancho Cordova Track Club Athletes at the Golden West Invitational GWI include: Charles Sander 17/18 Boys Javelin 3rd place; Gian Gonzalez 17/18 Boys Hammer 3rd place; Lauren Riley 17/18 Girls Javelin 5th place; Jaylan Barcenas 15/16 Boys 100 meters 5th place; Gabrielle Devlin 13/14 Girls High Jump 1st place; Jazelle Johnson 11/12 Girls 100 meter and 200 meters.

“The goal is to get more kids active and learning while they are involved in these incredible events of track and field,” said Josh Gruver, head coach of the Rancho Cordova Track Club. “Every kid has the potential to perform and succeed here. Whether you throw something like a shot, discus, javelin, or hammer; or jump high or long, pole vault, or run distances, sprints, relays or hurdles — there is something here for every kid. And when they do well here, they also improve their outcomes in the classroom and in life.”

Standout performances by the Rancho Cordova Track Club Athletes at the Pacific Association Youth Championships include: Third Place Overall Mens 17/18 - in Pacific Youth Association Championships; Gian Gonzalez, Hammer - 2nd Place; Charles Sander, Javelin - 1st Place; Matthew Palchak, Discus 2nd Place, Shot Put - 2nd Place; Matthew Ferrara, Discus 5th Place, Shot Put - 6th Place; Elise Blomquist, Discus - 5th Place, Shot Put - 4th Place; Mackenzie Santos, Discus - 6th Place; Christopher Palchak, Shot Put - 3rd Place; Ayden Gregory, 400m Hurdles - 3rd Place; 2nd Place 13/14 Boys 4 x 400m relay; 13-14 Cameron Laret, Lucas Rogerio-Bonato, Caleb Mahoney, Bryce Barcenas; 800 Meters 13-14 – Finals, 9^th place Caleb Mahoney; 3000 Meters 15-16 – Finals 3^rd place Daniel Insco; 800 Meters 13-14 – Finals 10^th place Amelia Nunn; High Jump 13-14 - Finals 1^st place Gabriella Devlin; Long Jump 6 & Under – Finals 5^th place Rachael Sullens; Long Jump 7-8 - Finals 7^th place Pre Hausmann; Long Jump 9-10 – Finals 11^th place Sophia Murdock.

The Rancho Cordova Track Club is extremely excited to have hosted these meets for a second year in a row and bring such high caliber competition to Rancho Cordova and we hope to improve each year with more local events for our athletes and our city.