Another great year for kids’ triathlon

FROM PAGE 38

“This is Ozzie (Oscar), he’s my 7-yearold; he’s ready to go,” said Brown, who noted his other sons Cohen, nine, and Ellis 11, are all going solo with fun being the goal.

“I think this is our fourth year being here,” said Brown.

He was one of the hundreds of dads and family members in the mix, which Gallagher says is a positive side effect the committee never could have planned for.

“That just happened organically, so all good stuff,” he said.

The triathlon has become a family event for Tracy Matthews, the volunteer event coordinator.

“My entire family participates in some way shape or form. I have one child competing this year and all my kids have volunteered for the program for the past 10 years,” said

Matthews.

“My husband and I and my older (kids) are all volunteers, so it’s just giving back to the community.”

Her role is to find enough volunteers to keep the event running smoothly, and there is no shortage of unpaid help.

“We actually have a lot of people who just come because they want to be here and a lot of parents who want to be part of the action,” said Matthews.

“We are excited to get going another year.”

Gallagher is the acting principal at École St. Thomas and says the kids’ triathlon goes beyond the competition, in his opinion, with some life lessons to be learned.

“This is more about life-long activity than it is about anything. If you want to learn about collaboration, this is collaboration at its best,” he said.

“When you get three young people who aren’t really sure what to do and they have to work together to figure it out (along with the parents), just to try it, is a success.”

Collaboration was top of mind for young firsttime swimming triathlete Jayd Scherger.

“I’m swimming with my team and my friend Jazzlyn is biking and my friend Lily is running,” said the 10-year-old.

Her mom, Danielle, was also in a triathlon of sorts having to keep watch on three of her girls.

“I’ve got a lot of watching to do and cheering,” she said.

Geoff Lee Meridian Source TOP RIGHT: Alex Donald pins a race bib on his son Griffin before the start of the ATB Financial Triathlon Friday at Bud Miller All Seasons Park under sunny skies. Griffin was running the event in a team.