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Donna On the Side - Foot Locker Cross Country Championships 2000Published by
by Donna Dye The Scene - The Stars, Dathan and Sara - The Girls and Families - The Boys and Families - The Supporters As all cross country fans know, the Foot Locker is THE EVENT of the season. 32 boys and 32 girls earn their way to the Footlocker. This year was the 22nd Annual Foot Locker Cross CountryChampionships. The Foot Locker started as a small event in San Diego, California in 1979 as the Kinney Cross Country Championship. It moved to Orlando in 1981-82 and then back to San Diego through 1996. In 1993 the sponsorship changed to Foot Locker, and in 1997 the championship moved to its present home in Orlando and Disney World. The Foot Locker Finals is a family affair. Everywhere you look, you see proud parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who have come to Florida to follow one of the 64 elite runners. Not to mention their present coaches and hopeful future coaches (college recruiters). Although the races decide two national champions, there is a feeling that this gathering is a celebration of 64 boys and girls whose presence here shows they are all champions. And what better place to celebrate than at Disney World-The family place! So in honor of these young peoples families, we present a photo album of the Foot Locker Cross Country Championship.
The Scene: Oak Trail Course at Shades of Green. Oak Trail is one of three golf courses within the Shades of Green community at Disney World. . Anxious fans gather early on a sunny, warm Saturday morning
Rockford MI fans came in force to follow not one, but three runners: boys favorite Dathan Ritzenhein and two members of their US#1 girls team - Kalin Toedebusch and Linsey Blaisdell. Several of Ritzenhein's teammates drove 21 hours from Michigan for the races. They are the ones with the orange hair! These are guys from Port Charlotte, Florida who call themselves "cross country fans." Thus, they supported home stater Mike Swope, but also the "Ritz kid" from Michigan. Oh, and by the way, there were real Ritz crackers on that poster. Yum! THE STARS: SARA BEI & DATHAN RITZENHEIN!
THE GIRLS AND THEIR FAMILIES !!!! Sara BeiAfter her win, Sara Bei explains the race to reporters and family
Sara's proud parents, Karen and Gary, with Sara's brother, Bryan. A third sibling, sister Amy, is a pole vaulter at Harvard. Bryan hasn't yet committed to any one sport. He's trying them all out. We'll see if he follows in his sister's cross country/track footsteps. Anita SirakiAnita Siraki has had a very successful cross country season. She and her proud Dad, Razmik, are both DyeStat fans. If one is not on the computer, the other is. Laura ZeigleLaura came back from mid-season setbacks to qualify in the Foot Locker West region and then finish the season with a flourish with 3rd at the finals.
Alicia CraigSome of Alicia Craig's family. Karina Craig; Mom Craig; and two camera shy nieces: Faith Craig (Karina's daughter) and Alexandra Tumminello. Linsey BlaisdellDiane and Scott are the proud parents of Linsey Blaisdell of Rockford, Michigan. Clara HorowitzThis group came to cheer and coach Clara Horowitz from California and the Western Region. Helen PudlinHelen Pudlin is getting her camera ready to focus in on daughter Julia from Pennsylvania and the Northeast Region. Daughter Julia has had a spectacular year, breaking course records all over Pennsylvania and Delaware and making her mark on the national scene in the Great American, the Manhattan, and Foot Locker. Danielle CoonDanielle's Saratoga NY coaches, Art and Linda Kranick, with Danielle's mother Debra and sister Alexis. The Saratoga team was tied for Number 1 in the nation with Rockford in The Harrier rankings. Natasha RoetterA newcomer to the national scene, the Northeast regional champion had a great race to finish 4th. There to cheer her on were her parents, Joyce and Martyn Roetter. Chelsea Homan
THE BOYS AND THEIR FAMILIES !!!! Dathan Ritzenhein
Alan Webb
Mike Swope
Seton McAndrews
Peter Meindl
Aaron Fisher
Mike Kiter
Seth Pilkington
Seth Watkins
Brendan Fennel
THE SUPPORTERS !!!!
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