RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros track & field/cross country teams hosted a free youth clinic Saturday at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville.  
 
The Vaqueros student-athletes took charge of leading the clinic, shuffling participants by age group among four stations that worked on block starts, wickets, jumping and hurdling and offering advice and support. Kids ranging from first to eighth grade were put through drills to help with setting up their blocks, improve reaction times and mechanics, and teach techniques for jumps, hurdles and relays. 
 
This is the third year in a row the track & field/cross country program hosts a free event in Brownsville, welcoming 35 participants to the newly renovated Sams Memorial Stadium. Head coach Shareese Hicks expressed thanks and respect to Brownsville ISD athletic director Gilbert Leal for allowing the program to use the facility. 
 
"They say children are the future, and with our sport, we really, really love to make an impact. We're trying to train up future Vaqueros and, who knows, even future Olympians. This is always a special event and it's fun to be around the kiddos," Hicks said. "We focused on the fundamentals, introducing them to the sport while making sure they're having fun. It changes from age group to age group – the older ones, we're really technical with them, the younger ones, it's more fun and response. Hearing our student-athletes sharing information that they've heard directly from their coaches is so rewarding. I'm so proud of this team and the leadership that they show these young people is awe-inspiring. We're happy to be able to continue to do this and we look forward to many more." 

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