Olympian Alice Schmidt, and USATF Foundation Vice-Chair, Jack Wickens, bring Run With US! to Charlottesville, Virginia

06 Feb Olympian Alice Schmidt, and USATF Foundation Vice-Chair, Jack Wickens, bring Run With US! to Charlottesville, Virginia

Posted at 07:34h in News by

INDIANAPOLIS – The USA Track & Field Foundation was pleased to bring Run With US! to the hometown of Vice-Chair, Jack Wickens in Charlottesville, Virginia on Thursday, January 30, 2014, announced Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld today.

The children at Greer Elementary School in Charlottesville, VA were treated to a visit when two-time Olympian, Alice Schmidt, made a special appearance to demonstrate the USATF Foundation’s Run With US! program.

The USA Track & Field Foundation partnered with Health Teacher, the interactive leader in youth health, to create the innovative in-classroom Run With US! game and make it available to teachers across the nation without charge. In each Run With US! event, Olympic athletes coach students on track & field skills and exercise drills that can be completed right next to their desks. Run With US! is part of a suite of five minute games collectively called GoNoodle. Research shows that these “brain breaks” have a positive impact on student engagement, behavior and achievement, as well as their health.

“It is exciting to see children in my hometown benefit from this great program,” said Jack Wickens, Vice-Chair of the USA Track & Field Foundation and Charlottesville resident. “When you connect Olympians with kids, magic happens”.



The USATF Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track and field programs with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth athletes, emerging and experienced elite athletes, along with guidance on future career paths. The Foundation depends upon donations from its Board of Directors, major gifts, and from generous fans of track & field.

Elite athletes are supported by the Foundation via monetary grants, career counseling (mentoring and jobs) and participation in Run With US!. Youth athletes are supported via monetary grants to youth clubs.

For more information, or to contribute to the USA Track & Field Foundation, Click Here or contact Tom Jackovic at (412) 398-2484 or tjackovic@usatffoundation.org.