Parker Track Club heading to AAU Junior Olympics

MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) — It’s the final dash before the AAU Junior Olympic games in Greensboro, NC, an opportunity for kids across the country to represent their sport on the national stage.

This year, Madison nonprofit Parker Track Club (PTC) is sending 20 star athletes to compete for gold.

Passed down from founder Kirk Parker and his wife to their son and current head coach, Zeke Parker, PTC has been mentoring kids for 40 years.

“That’s our main goal,” Kirk said. “Keeping them busy, keeping them off the street, giving them something to do. And as far as the Olympics and all the golds and bronze and silver that we’ve won, all of that is extra.”

Parker Track Club is no stranger to accolades. They’ve sent over 500 kids to the Junior Olympics.

According to Kirk, it all comes down to discipline.

“When you walk on that track for practice, you don’t say nothing,” Kirk said. “Because you’re here to work, you’re not here to play. They’re gonna need this discipline to be able to deal with things in life down the road.”

“I tell them, if you put in the work it’s gonna pay off,” Zeke added. “What you put in is what you’re gonna get out.”

PTC just returned from the AAU National Championships in Jacksonville, FL with 18 All-American winners.

Max Patterson is going into seventh grade, but he’s already a record-holding athlete.

“I just like to do something I’m good at,” Patterson said.

According to Zeke, watching the kids’ hard work pay off makes all the time and effort worth it.

“That’s the greatest thing in the world, to know that the hard work the kids have put in is now paying off,” Zeke said. “Another thing is, even though the goal is important, that smile you see on that kid’s face is something you’ll never forget.”

But PTC needs help to make it to the competition. They’ve only raised $270 of their $8,000 dollar fundraising goal. Kirk says with a little help from the community, they’ll do everything they can to send the athletes to the Junior Olympics.

“This club will never die,” Kirk said. “As long as there are kids, we’ll be alive.”

Parker Track Club is hosting a meet on July 20 at Milton Frank Stadium to help raise money for the games.

You can also donate money to cover the cost of travel, lodging and other expenses for PTC athletes here .

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