Fraley vows to keep Run for the Dream meet alive

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/story/1139863.html

Dream to live, Fraley vows
Future meets may move to weekend.

Monday, Jan. 19, 2009
By Margaret Slaby / The Fresno Bee

It was the night before the Run for the Dream Indoor Track & Field Invitational and Bob Fraley couldn't sleep. He finally gave up, got up at 12:15 a.m. and arrived at the Save Mart Center at 5 -- four hours before the start of Monday's meet.

That's what you do when you're meet director and are passionate about a sport. And there's no question that Fraley, the former Fresno State director of track and field, loves the sport.

That's why he's put on the Run for the Dream for three years -- and has every intention of bringing it back to Fresno in 2010.

And although Fraley called this year's event "a successful meet," he said it can be much better.

This meet drew a paid attendance of 1,827. Last year's meet drew 4,487 fans and 2,960 attended in 2006. Fraley wants to get the meet back on the Visa Championship Series, which it was last year. Fraley said that means getting the meet televised and scheduling it on a Friday or Saturday.

Fraley said his plans could include either the Friday or Saturday preceding or following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

"If you have it on a Friday or a Saturday, you have this place packed out," he said.

"This is an opportunity to inspire people to get back to the sport and to get track and field back in the mainstream of American sports," Fraley added. "If you get the kids in here and get them excited and get the parents in here they'll say, 'Hey, that's a good sport.' "

The Run for the Dream brings together youth, high school, college and professional athletes for one day in one venue.

About 475 athletes, including 10 Olympians, competed this year.

"It was pretty cool to be able to see some of the stars and run on the same track," said Demetri Wilright of Franklin High-Elk Grove, who was part of a winning 4x440-yard relay that helped the Central California all-stars win the high school boys team title.

Fresno State track and field coach Scott Winsor said the meet is a positive thing for the track and field community.

The Bulldogs women won the seven-team college competition.

"It's a great meet," Winsor said. "A lot of high school athletes compete in it, and our women doing well here today shows them we're on the right track."

Fraley said the key is bringing different levels of athletes together on the same day.

"A little kid walks in here and sees an Olympian and says, 'I want to be like them.' That's how we get the sport to grow."

[bjvando]

I have most of the elite competition on video...

I'll post it on youtube soon.