TRACK: Cepero Memorial Track Meet returns after COVID-19 hiatus

Like numerous functions about the planet previous year, the annual Dr. Daniel Cepero Memorial Keep track of and Area Satisfy was canceled mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the fact that meet organizer Stella Neboh always felt like keep track of and area was a the natural way socially distant sport, she did not want to possibility any person obtaining exposed to the virus.

Keeping the function this year should not be also considerably of an problem for Neboh, thinking about that she and numerous coaches from the West Texas Keep track of Club have been vaccinated.

To guarantee safety, Neboh however encourages her athletes to don masks all through apply and she’ll ask moms and dads and spectators to retain a protected length in the stands all through the meet.

This year’s meet starts at 6 p.m. Thursday with Little Tots keep track of and area functions at Ratliff Stadium.

Functions resume at four:30 p.m. Friday, with anything established to conclude Saturday soon after a seven:30 a.m. start.

Despite the fact that previous year’s cancelation experienced a huge effect on the athletic functions, it also afflicted the way the West Texas Keep track of Club generally awards scholarships.

Neboh prepared to current scholarships for higher college graduates at previous week’s Nik Moralez Satisfy and this week’s competition.

A slight transform will transpire this year, as members of previous year’s graduating class are getting invited to return and use.

“We will award scholarships for 2020 higher college graduates,” Neboh explained. “They can appear again and register underneath the master’s class mainly because the youth is from two up till seventeen.”

Scholarships will be introduced to these who register, contend and meet the demanded requirements.

Missing out on the opportunity to aid previous year’s higher college seniors remaining Neboh sensation indignant and hurt.

She was disappointed mainly because a large amount of these keep track of athletes have been managing by way of the West Texas Keep track of Club’s summer software given that they were toddlers.

“Even though we’re heading again and supplying it to them this year, I individually think it’s just not the very same,” Neboh explained. “I think we made the finest decision mainly because with the way COVID was heading, I was not prepared to expose any one out there.”

Setting up the meet soon after a year-very long hiatus and preserving the athletes in shape has been a team effort involving the keep track of club’s assistant coaches and Neboh’s family.

Coaching just about every competing age team has been a necessity for Neboh’s sons just about every summer.

She explained the previous time they took a family vacation was somewhere involving 15 to twenty several years in the past.

“It can take a large amount of perform,” Neboh explained. “As shortly as I finish this keep track of meet, I’m currently working for the subsequent year.”

The meet coordinator will perform in progress with the Town of Odessa to established up elements like stadium use, timing devices and officials.

Without having the city’s aid, Neboh thinks it would be tricky to keep any kind of competition.

She is thrilled to have anyone again on the keep track of this week, estimating that the West Texas Keep track of Club has about 500 young ones registered to contend.

A person of the most rewarding encounters for Neboh is viewing her rivals expand up by way of the summer keep track of software and go on to have thriving futures.

“It’s been enjoyable, I adore it,” Neboh explained. “I just appreciate just about every minute of it.”

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