Rising sixth-grader Lainey Shockro, fresh from Rehoboth Elementary School, enjoys a challenge. Whether it’s a cross country race with 100 girls on the hills of Belmont Plateau, streaking down the sidelines in a lacrosse game on the turf of Cape, singing and dancing on stage in a school play or musical, or climbing to the peak of a mountain in the Poconos, if the challenge is there, Lainey is there.
This week, Lainey became the youngest athlete in the area - and in my memory - to attend a pole vault camp, as she was a member of the Vaultworx Camp in Camp Hill, Pa., outside Harrisburg.
“Lainey showed interest in the pole vault this spring, and most kids are afraid of the event,” said dad Derek Shockro, assistant coach at Sussex Central High School in Georgetown. “We decided to give the camp a try and see how she liked it.”
Attending the camp with Lainey was Katie Jones, the 2017 New Balance national champion and All-American at 13-feet-9-inches, who is set to attend Penn State University. Natalie Elliott, the 2017 New Balance All-American who jumped 12-feet-6-inches and is headed to High Point University, also attended the camp.
Cape’s top female vaulter this past season was Olivia Brozefsky, who finished second at the Henlopen Conference Championships at 8-feet, while Cape graduate Sam Young is now at University of Virginia jumping over 16 feet.
For more information on Vaultworx, go to www.vaultworx.com.
Athletes Serving Athletes
Last week, I wrote about the Athletes Serving Athletes group out of Salisbury, Md., and that the Seashore Striders were hosting them at the Jungle Jim’s 5K June 24 in Rehoboth Beach.
A handful of athletes and wingmen took part in the event, and what an inspiration it was to see them complete the 3.1 miles with smiling faces at the finish. Many runners and spectators stood at the finish waiting for the athletes to make the final turn to the finish.
Congratulations to the following ASA Athletes: Jessie Bernstein, Ryan Malone, Shauna McBride, Noah Hall and George Goodridge.
ASA's reach has extended from Baltimore City to the Mid-Atlantic region, offering mentoring, training and competitive opportunities. All programs are offered at no cost to the athletes, families or organizations that support them.
Beach Paper Firecracker 5K
This Saturday morning, July 1, at Grove Park in Rehoboth Beach will mark the 27th annual Firecracker 5K at 7:30 a.m., sponsored by the local Beach Paper, kicking off a weekend full of activities. Race-day registration will begin at 6 a.m. for $25 with custom hand towels taking the place of the traditional T-shirt this week and going to the first 400 to register for the event.
The 3.1-mile course begins at Grove Park and travels down Henlopen Avenue to Surf Avenue before connecting back to Columbia Avenue and then making its way back to the Grove by way of Henlopen Avenue.
Proceeds of the event will go to a local charity; last year they went to the Lewes Public Library Building Fund. For more information on the event, go to www.seashorestriders.com.
27th Dave Reynolds Biathlon
This Sunday morning, July 2, will be the annual Dave Reynolds Biathlon, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Patrol Headquarters on Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. This annual event brings out some of the best athletes in the area, with guards from Rehoboth Beach Patrol and Dewey Beach Patrol taking part. The swim will kick off the event with a half-mile open-water swim broken up in two waves. The individual male racers will enter the water first, while the female racers and teams will enter the water in the second wave, normally a few minutes behind. Registration for the event is closed, but volunteers can still help out at the event start/finish location or on the course as Boardwalk monitors or water stop helpers. For more information, go to www.seashorestriders.com.
