DURHAM, N.C. — Dozens of runners from the nonprofit Bull City Express Track Club have qualified for nationals but need help funding their trip.
What You Need to Know
The championships start Monday, July 26 in Jacksonville, Florida
Nonprofit founder Omar Beasly has created a GoFundMe page to help families pay for the trip
Bull City Express Track Club coaches kids ages 7 to 17, and 39 of its runners have qualified for nationals
Thirty-nine runners from the team will compete in the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, starting Monday, July 26 in Jacksonville, Florida. The team has been practicing since March at Riverside High School in Durham.
"What we are trying to do is to get these kids to believe in themselves that they can accomplish the impossible," Bull City Express Track Club President Omar Beasley said.
Beasley created a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising $20,000. The money will go toward transportation, hotels, gear and more.
"We figure if we get $20,000, every kid will get there, no problem. It won't be a financial burden upon the parents. Some of the parents can afford it, many of them can't," Beasley said. "Many of them are putting bills to the side ... and they are sacrificing."
One of the nonprofit's main goals is to help runners get scholarships to college. Durham native Alysia Johnson started running with the club in middle school and now runs for University of South Carolina.
"This team is so important to me because not only does it help me get better as an athlete, but as a student for one, being a leader and just knowing how to work with other people," Johnson said.
She is in her offseason but still goes out to the track to train.
"It's not gonna be easy. I tell the kids all the time ... you're going to have some times during practice where you may feel like, 'coach this is not it,' but the key to success is to not give up and to not quit," Johnson said.
Bull City Express Track club coaches children ages 7 to 17. Its head coach is former two-time Olympian James Carter.
If you would like to help fund the club's trip, you can donate here.
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