Georgia Southern students plan, host track and field event in community

June 28, 2019

Forty Georgia Southern students in the facility and event management course gained hands-on experience by planning an interactive USA Track and Field RunJumpThrow event in May at Southeast Bulloch High School in Brooklet, Georgia.

The students, led by Assistant Professor Amy Rundio, Ph.D, worked with Associate Professor Gavin Colquitt, Ed.D., and Bulloch County schools to host the event. Under Rundio’s guidance, the students worked throughout the semester to secure and activate sponsorships, create a social marketing campaign, and organize and implement event operations for the one-day event.

RunJumpThrow is a free, all-inclusive, hands-on program that focuses on helping kids get excited about physical activity through track and field while learning fundamental skills in running, jumping and throwing. The event is built with adaptive components tailored to meet the needs of children with different disabilities, which increases the inclusion of participants.

Sport management students Tyra Smith and Ella Ofstedahl focused on event operations while planning RunJumpThrow. Smith, a native of Madison, Georgia, who graduated Fall 2018, recalled how much the participants enjoyed the event and agreed effective communication was one of the key elements for the success of the event.

“After months of planning, seeing the event come together with little to no problems was great,” she said. “Witnessing the kids having fun while learning basic skills in track and having them come up to me at the end of the day to tell me how much they enjoyed the event is something I will always remember.”

Ofstedahl, a native of England, received similar feedback.

“One younger female participant stated this was the best event she has ever been to and that she was coming back again next year,” Ofstedahl said. “Hearing this was really nice especially since I had helped organize the event.”