Watch a video of the C.S. Porter all-school runThe occasion was the inaugural Junior Governor's Cup 5k for students of Missoula's C.S. Porter Middle School. Friday morning's objective was simple: Introduce kids to the joy of running mixed with a super-charged group dynamic.
“I wanted to try it,” sixth grader Erik Mason said. “I thought it would be fun.”
“Kids have gotten a lot of bad press lately, that all they do is play video games and all that,” said the C.S. Porter health enhancement teacher and coordinator of Friday's event.
“Our main goal is to keep kids active. Show them how it can feel to be active. Just the real benefits of exercise and activity, with the camaraderie and competition, preparation, everything.”
Roughly 600 students and 60 staff members participated in the all-school event. Wolferman got the idea in January after receiving a mailing with a special offer from the promoters of the Governor's Cup in Helena.
With a corporate boost from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, C.S. Porter students were provided with a free T-shirt and medal. Missoula businesses also got in the act with donations, and Wolferman was overwhelmed by the volunteer help she received from her peers.
“Our teachers have been amazing since the beginning,” she noted. “I told them, ‘This is a huge, crazy idea. This is what I'm going to do. Will you work this?' ”
C.S. Porter students trained for months. Besides working on endurance and speed, many were taught about proper nutrition and the value of a training log.
“Fit kids is really the push,” said Jari Culham Davis, who works with the school's family resource center and helped organize Friday's postrace festivities, which included a lunch with parents and entertainment by Beef Trout. “The Missoulian runs articles on youth obesity, and I feel the local schools continue to do the best they can to encourage kids to have a lifetime of athletic activities.
“I know a 5k is a stretch for someone like me. These old legs wouldn't do it anymore.”
Students in grades 6-8 were given road race numbers to pin to their shirts prior to the start of the roughly three-mile event. Some strived to earn a ribbon, others tried to finish last.
“Our class incentive was to finish with a positive attitude,” explained sixth-grader Madison Winz.
For parent Jerry Hanson, the best part of the race was the build-up.
“They've just been real excited about it for a while, trying to get in a good time,” Hanson said of his daughters, Jasmine and Mackenzie. “It's fun because the kids want to do this. It's not that they have to do it.”
C.S. Porter is not the only area school participating in the Junior Governor's Cup program this spring. For example, students of Hellgate Elementary and the Lolo School District will hold their events next week.
But it will be hard to top C.S. Porter in the enthusiasm department.
“Oh my goodness it was really positive,” Wolferman said. “We've received feedback from adults and kids alike and they felt great about the run and participating with their friends.
“There were some surprise winners today - not the kids that win at other things, so they were just elated. Kids were told, ‘You can't do that,' and they did. Even the kids that worked hard to be last enjoyed the race.”
Wolferman said C.S. Porter students could potentially earn money for their school with their high participation numbers in the Junior Governor's Cup. Any money would go toward physical education equipment.
Asked if there were plans for a second annual C.S. Porter Junior Governor's Cup next spring, Wolferman didn't need time to answer.
“Right now definitely yes, we'd do it again.”
Sports writer Bill Speltz can be reached at 523-5255 or bill.speltz@lee.net.
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