The fifth annual Doctor Larry Clark Track and Field Invitational Meet, hosted by the Bainbridge High School Bearcats and Lady Cats track teams, coached by Larry Cosby and Tandria Phillips, will get underway Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the school track.
Admission to the meet, named in honor of Jones Wheat Elementary principal and first year Decatur County Sports Hall of Fame member Doctor Larry Clark, who built the Bearcats and Lady Cats track programs into two of the strongest in the state, will be $5 for adults and $3 for students.
Cosby, who was an outstanding football running back and track sprinter for the Bearcats went on to have an outstanding running back career at Tusctulum College in Greeneville Tennessee and Phillips an outstanding performer in basketball and track at Bainbridge High and a n outstanding sprinter at Albany State University, credit Doctor Clark for encouraging them and supporting them along the way and being a great role model for them numerous other Decatur County youth.
“Doctor Clark was always there for me and so many others,” said Cosby, who led the Bearcats to the 2010 Region 1-AAAA and State Class AAAA championships.
“Doctor Clark, coach Cosby and I help each other in coaching our two track teams,” coach Phillips added. He always has encouraging words for our competitors following their events.
Bearcats and Lady Cats fellow Region 1-AAAA teams coming to Saturday’s Meet are the Americus-Sumter County High School Panthers and Lady Panthers, Albany’s Monroe High School Tornadoes and Lady Tornadoes, the Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets and Lady Yellow Jackets and Albany’s Westover High School Patriots and Lady Patriots.
Also accepting invitations to come to Saturday’s meet are the Carrollton High School Trojans and Lady Trojans, the Colquitt County High School Packers and Lady Packers, the Fitzgerald High School Purple Hurricanes and Lady Purple Hurricanes, Tallahassee’s Godby High School Cougars and Lady Cougars, Lee County High School’s Trojans and Lady Trojans and Tallahassee’s Lincoln High School Trojans and Lady Trojans.
Rounding out the list of teams that have confirmed they will be here for Saturday’s meet are the Lownes County High School Vikings and Lady Vikings, the Mitchell County High School Eagles and Lady Eagles, Tallahassee’s North Florida Christian Schoool Eagles and Lady Eagles, Dothan’s Northview High School Cougars and Lady Cougars, the Thomasville High School Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs and the Tift County High School Blue Devils and Lady Blue Devils.