February 1, 2005 > Willie Davenport Olympian Track and Field Clinic Saturday, Feb. 5

Eighteen years ago, the Track and Field Clinic at James Logan High School was created by Coach Lee Webb to help aspiring athletes "learn by doing" with guidance from knowledgeable sports figures and coaches. Five-time Olympian Willie Davenport responded to Webb's request for help and gave his support to the program as it grew.

"About sixty young people attended the first clinic; last year, attendance was about sixteen hundred," said Webb.

The all day event encompasses a wide variety of events and is open to the public, both serious athletes and "weekend warriors" of any age. This year, there will about thirty-five Olympians in attendance, all responding to a chance to gather together and talk with others about the events they love, said Webb.

These athletes travel from many parts of the U.S. to come to the clinic at the Union City high school. Included in this illustrious group of famous athletes is Dick Fosbury, Olympic Champion and creator of the "Fosbury Flop" high jump technique; Mac Wilkins, four-time Olympian in Discus; Al Joyner, 1988 Olympic Triple Jump Champion; Andre Phillips, 400 Hurdle Olympic champion; Dan O'Brien, Gold Medalist, Decathalon; LaTanya Sheffield, 400 Hurdles; Gwen Loud, Long Jump; Suzy Powell, Discus, Mel Pender, 4x100 relay; Harold Connolly, Hammer Throw and the list goes on and on.

In addition to hands on sessions, John Carlos and Tommie Smith will discuss sprinting techniques in a morning lecture session. Participant attendance for each discipline is designed to be flexible so those with multiple interests can move between groups. A special group has been designed for small kids interested in track and field events.

Following registration and an introduction of athletes and clinicians, participants will be free to join groups working on events including Triple Jump/Long Jump, High Jump, Pole Vault, Sprints, Hurdles, Distance, Shot Put, Discus and Javelin. Lunch will be available on campus for a fee and the afternoon will continue with group instruction as well as discussions of strength training and aquatic training. A social gathering will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Union City in the evening.

One day prior to the Track and Field Clinic, a golf tournament to help support the clinic will be held at the Metropolitan Golf Links at Oakland. The tournament will feature a "shotgun" start with raffles, lunch, tee prizes and an auction during this full day. Webb invites everyone to sign up and help support his efforts while having a lot of fun.

The Willie Davenport Olympian Track and Field Clinic is open to coaches and athletes of all ages. It will be held at James Logan High School, 1800 "H" Street, Union City, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. The cost is $10 Youth, $20 Individuals and $250 Teams of Unlimited Number. For more information, call Lee Webb at (510) 471-2520 ext. 5113 or (510) 304-7172.