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Junior Olympics
JACL Junior Olympics Ends its 52 Year Run
After 52 consecutive years ending in 2004, the JACL Junior Olympics has been discontinued. The organizing committee made the difficult decision that it had no solution to the continuing decline in participation and the negative balance sheet resulting from reduced income from entry fees and advertising versus ever increasing costs to host the event.
Though last year's event was again successful for its 175 athletes in terms of enjoyment for the participating families, the numbers represented a continued downward trend from 350-strong numbers seen in the 1980s. Since its inception in 1953, it is estimated that over 14,000 toddlers, young children, high schoolers, and adults have participated in the event. Past participants have often returned with their children to relive the experience.
Sponsored by the JACL Northern California, Western Nevada, Pacific District Council, the Northern California event outlasted its Southern California counterpart by a decade.
The JACL Junior Olympics is a track and field meet encouraging participation of Asian-heritage American youth. Initially held in 1953, this event is one of the longest-lived athletic events in the Asian American community. Participation has expanded to include age divisions for boys and girls from 8 years and under through Open and Masters.
Over the years teams have come from around the Bay Area, Livermore/Danville area, Watsonville, Stockton, Sacramento, and Central California. Currently, primarily the Bay Area is represented with over 250 participants, annually. Southern California had a similar track meet, The Nisei Relays, but unfortunately could not sustain its existence through the '90s.
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