Steve Polute vividly recalls the days when track and field was a viable sport in North Bergen, when there were hundreds of kids participating earning all kinds of awards and accolades. Polute, a North Bergen product, attended William Paterson College, where he competed in track and field.
“I always thought it was an enjoyable sport,” Polute said. “I always thought it was a good sport for everyone to participate in. I first started participating in track to keep in shape, but then I realized how much I enjoyed it, how it was a healthy sport, one where you didn’t have to compete against someone else, but rather the distance and the clock.”
After seeing the participation number on the high school level considerably dwindle over the years, Polute, a physical education teacher at North Bergen High School, wanted to introduce the district’s grade school students to the upcoming Olympic Games. So he made a proposal five years ago to the Board of Education.
“They really had no awareness of what the Olympics and what track and field was all about,” Polute said. “So I introduced the idea of having a track and field championship meet for the grammar school students, as a way to introduce them to track and field before they got to high school. When they get to eighth grade, some students are unsure of what they want to do when they get to high school in terms of playing sports. I wanted to at least introduce them to the sport and give them the option.”
The grade school track and field program has totally blossomed since Polute introduced the idea of a track championship for the seventh and eighth graders. For example, Robert Fulton School, under the leadership of coach and teacher Carleen Conroy, now has 75 students participating on the Fulton track and field team.
“She really is a dedicated coach,” Polute said. “She works a lot with the kids on her own time, even before school some days. They come to the track early in the morning and have practice, even before classes begin. That’s really dedication.”
Last week, the fifth annual North Bergen Grade School Track and Field Championships were held on the newly resurfaced track at Bruins Stadium in North Hudson Braddock Park. More than 300 students participated in the two-day event.
“It was definitely a big turnout,” Polute said. “It was exciting to see the kids get excited in the stands, cheering each other on. They take a lot of pride in themselves and what they’re doing. I think it was a pretty exciting day for all who participated.”
Of course, with the strong contingent, Fulton School took home the top team honors for the third straight year.
“They have a very solid team,” Polute said. “They really work hard.”
There were several individuals who stood out, like Fulton School eighth grader Cesar Salmerron, who scored a total of 34 points, winning the 800-meter and 1,000-meter runs, finishing second in the long jump and third in the 200-meter. This was the first year that the event permitted an athlete to compete in as many as four events, so Salmerron certainly took advantage of his incredible diversification.
The top female athlete was seventh grader Kristi Marquez of Lincoln School, who scored a total of 21 points, winning the softball throw in both the seventh and eighth grade groups and finishing second in the 200-meter dash.
The program has proven to be a good foundation for future North Bergen track athletes, especially junior sprinter Kevin Thompson, who recently finished third in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. Thompson’s first competitive races took place during the North Bergen Grade School Championships four years ago.
“Kevin is now going on to Nationals [in North Carolina] later this month,” Polute said. “He’s a product of this program and proof that it works.”
Polute said that more and more kids are getting involved. The respective grade school physical education teachers are encouraging more students to participate. Seeing 300 kids take the track for this year’s meet showed how much interest there is.
“Track runs through all three seasons,” Polute said, referring to cross country in the fall and indoor track during the winter. “If an athlete chooses to play football, he still has another opportunity to run in another season. Some kids still have a tough time making up their minds. We’re just there to try and help. We’re getting to see more and more talented kids coming through the ranks. The kids really take pride in themselves. You can tell we’re making a difference.”