By KENNY KEANE, Globe staff reporter
August 21, 2003

The mission statement of Hershey's Track and Field Youth Program is to provide a quality recreation and school program where children have fun and are introduced to physical fitness through basic track and field events such as running, jumping and throwing.

This program also served as an introduction for two fourth graders from different parts of the Sioux City Diocese when they competed in the 26th Annual North American Track and Field Meet on Aug. 9 in Hershey, Pa.

Michael Malloy of Holy Cross School's Blessed Sacrament Center in Sioux City and Collin Ascherl of Spalding Catholic Elementary in Granville first met on June 21 at the state level of the competition in Marshalltown, Iowa.

Their first step was in May at a local meet. Michael participated at a meet in Le Mars, while Collin's opportunity for a local meet was in Orange City. From there, the two earned the right to compete at the state meet.

It was there that these new friends both secured their place among the 480 athletes who competed in the Hershey national track meet. Michael accomplished this by winning the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:08.71. Collin, on the other hand, was the state champion in the softball throw with a distance of 141-1.

However, according to Michael's mother Twyla, these state victories alone did not guarantee that the boys would be chosen for the national meet.

"What they do then is they break down the country and Canada into eight regions," she said. "Michael and Collin's region was Region 1, which was called the Great Lakes Region, and that included Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and the Canadian province of Ontario. Each state in the country holds their own meet, and they submit all the winning times.

"We told Michael, 'You ran very well, but don't get your hopes us because there are a lot of great athletes, and there are lots of states in our region.' So we were really surprised when they called and said, 'You're going to be representing Iowa. You were only one of six athletes.'"

Donna Ascherl, Collin's mother, said it was neat for the two boys who had just met to be able to go together.

"When we got the call initially and they told us who was all going, I told Collin, and he was so excited because he said, 'I know Michael,'" Donna said. "They were so excited about that. They teamed up, and they really had fun together there in Hershey, Pa."

The two boys and four other delegates from Iowa, along with two adult chaperones, flew out of Des Moines at about 6 a.m. on Aug. 7 headed for Hershey. Their family members followed them on separate flights.

All the athletes stayed together on the campus of Elizabethtown College. There was an opening ceremony the first night on the college campus, with Rafer Johnson, the U.S. Olympic decathlon gold medallist in 1960, delivering an inspirational speech.

The next day they toured the Hershey chocolate factory, and then they enjoyed rides at the Hershey amusement park. Later that evening, they went to the Hershey visitor center, Chocolate World.

Then Saturday was the day of the meet. All the athletes marched around the track waving American flags, and they played the Star Spangled Banner and Oh, Canada. A torch was brought in to light the flame declaring the ceremonies open.

Michael ran in the boys' 9-10 400-meter race and finished second in the nation with a time of 1:07.30 - just short of the winning time of 1:06.24. Collin won fifth place in the boys' 9-10 softball throw with a distance of 141-2.

Being on that national stage, Michael said he was kind of nervous at first, but when he got out on the track it just all went away.

"I was really happy with how I did," he said. "I enjoy using the talents that God gave me. I had a lot of fun, and I've met a lot of new friends."

Collin said the track meet was really fun, and he was happy with his performance.

"I couldn't believe it," he said. "It was really fun to go and meet new people from your state and from the nation. I enjoyed how they had a region like the Olympics.  Just being there was really fun."

From this experience, the two boys have decided to continue working together to encourage others to participate.

"They've taken their experience, come together and dreamed up a little educational presentation that they're going to do for 4-H," Twyla said. "They've already made plans to get together and go talk to other kids - probably in Granville and Sioux City - about their experience and encouraging them to do their best no matter what talents they have and encourage them to try their hardest."