Due to the pandemic, “Little Kid Track” has not been able to happen for the past two years. This spring, it is up and running once again. LKT, as it is known, is one of the things that the Mount Greylock track and field team and community are known for. Volunteers from the track team help run activities at Williams College for elementary school students who want to participate in track every Monday and Wednesday evening. For participating in and leading LKT, the Greylock students receive community service hours and a team dinner at Coach Brian Gill’s house. 

“One of the most important things about LKT actually happens before LKT starts, and that is dinner,” said Gill, the head organizer of LKT. “We finish practice and everyone comes to our house where my wife, Julie, has prepared dinner for the 40-60 volunteers. We hangout, play games, and eat great food together.” 

LKT has not only proved to be an opportunity for elementary-aged kids to run around and participate in a sport, but it also provides a way for the middle school and high school athletes to become involved in the community. “We plan our evening activities with group coaches that each run an age group of kids, and with event coaches that stay and work a particular event for the night,” said Gill. 

The track team leads the elementary school kids in some games for warm up and then they split into groups by grade. The kids go through stations where they practice field events, like long jump, high jump, javelin, shot put, and discus, as well as track events, like hurdles, sprints, and distance. “We occasionally throw in events like relays and team challenges to keep things fun,” said Gill. 

LKT was able to resume for the first time since 2019 on April 18th, 2022. “We got to teach the basics of the event to the kids while also having fun and keeping them interested,” said sophomore Judge Martin. Martin throws shot put for the track team, and this was his first time helping out with LKT. “I like it a lot, and it is a very fun way to connect with the younger kids and get them going in a sport that isn’t really played before high school,” said Martin. 

Although it was vacation week on the first day of LKT, 90 track and field athletes still showed up to volunteer for LKT. “The energy was high, the activities were great, and our MG track coaches were fantastic,” said Gill. 

LKT has always been popular throughout the Mount Greylock track team. “It was fun to be put in the role of a coach after being a player for so long,” said Martin. “It was one of my favorite things I’ve done for a sport outside of actually playing it.” 

Junior Lainey Gill, a hurdler for Greylock and an LKT veteran said, “LKT is a great opportunity for high school students to integrate with the elementary students.” Gill added, “I believe LKT is one of the most important things we do to make the team closer and feel more like a family.”