Few things bring people together like sport. Despite age, race, class, or gender, people from all walks of life find themselves united when experiencing athletic competitions. Such events provide a unique chance to convey broad social messages to large audiences.
The City of Eugene is excited to once again be an active partner of the 2016 Olympic Team Trials - Track and Field. City staff and volunteers will be furthering two of our community’s important commitments – to youth fitness and to sustainability and responsible sport – at two City of Eugene booths. Both booths are in the free Festival area. Please drop by to play and learn with us!
We Can!
During the event, the City’s Waste Prevention and Green Building Program will be presenting We Can!, a sustainability booth with education and outreach activities about renewable energy, waste reduction, and water conservation. We Can! showcases local investments in sustainability and supports community values and livability efforts such as inclusivity and access for all, sustainable economic development, and community and environmental health.
Among other engaging highlights, visitors to the We Can! booth will enjoy participating in the Sustainability Scavenger Hunt, featuring unique Eugene experiences, like visiting a Love Food Not Waste business, pedaling a power generating bicycle, and more. Scavenger Hunt participants will earn attractive commemorative medallions made from repurposed redwood from the Cuthbert Amphitheater.
The Starting Block
The Starting Block at the Olympic Trials was created as a Legacy Program in 2008 by the City of Eugene in partnership with Nike and TrackTown USA. This year the City and our partners TrackTown USA, Nike, Providence, University of Oregon, and USA Track & Field are proud to share a whole new experience at the Starting Block for festival attendees and especially the youth! Our goal is to inspire the community to pursue track as a lifelong health and fitness activity by offering authentic experiences which engage the heart and body, and educate the mind.
The beloved Starting Block celebrates the youth experience with two cornerstone activities - the Heptathlon and Track Fan – and four other activity areas to round out the site.
Track Fan: This booth offers fans of all ages the chance to test their track and field trivia with our “Wheel of Knowledge,” and to have a button made for them of their favorite track and field athlete.
Heptathlon: This activation has seven components, three of which are inside the Starting Block (sprints, hurdles, long jump) and four outside the Starting Block (high jump, javelin, shot put and 800m). Youth receive a commemorative credential and participant bib, earning a stamp on their credential after completing each station, and a sticker once they have completed all seven events.
Leaderboards: The top marks in four of the activations (sprints, hurdles, long jump, and high jump) and in six age groups for both boys and girls will be put on the Leaderboards.
Selfie Stage: Heptathlon participants return here to get their finish sticker and to take a selfie on our Super Hero stage. Special guests will be in attendance throughout the Trials to help recognize the achievements of these youth.
Little Sprinters: The activity area for our younger (4 and under) athletes. They’ll participate in activities similar to the ones for the older kids and have lots of fun! This area is also the Lost Child holding/re-claiming area for the Trials.
Fan Mail: Fans can fill out a postcard of encouragement to their favorite athlete. Each day the postcards will be distributed to the athletes with the help of USATF.
The We Can! booth is located in the free Festival area at the corner of 15th and Agate, across from the Hayward Field gates, and near the EWEB water truck.
The Starting Block is also located in the Festival area. It is on the turf fields just west of Hayward Field and adjacent to the Nike area. The Starting Block is focused on youth, but visitors of all ages are welcome to wander in and participate.
The City of Eugene is pleased and proud to be a partner with Track Town USA and others in these experiences at the 2016 Olympic Trials, and we look forward to sharing them with community members and the many visitors to our fair city.