LIHU’E – When 12-year-old Jonathan Rellin went to “fool around” with his friends who were practicing for the standing broad jump at the Kaua’i County age-group youth track meet earlier this year, national competition at the North American Hershey’s Track
LIHU’E – When 12-year-old Jonathan Rellin went to “fool around” with his friends who were practicing for the standing broad jump at the Kaua’i County age-group youth track meet earlier this year, national competition at the North American Hershey’s Track and Field Championship was not even on his mind.
Shoes that have not been stained by the notorious Kaua’i dirt covered his feet as he stood at the pit at Vidinha Stadium with his mom, Ann Rellin, and his competition chaperone, Sam Arashiro of the county’s Parks and Recreation Department.
His body still asleep, Jonathan goes through the motion of the standing broad jump.
“This is not even my longest jump,” he said as his body shook off the vestiges of slumber.
During the Kaua`i finals, Rellin, a sixth-grader at Wilcox Elementary School, topped his age-division with a jump of 8 feet.
“And that’s without my shoes,” Rellin added.
During the state finals on O`ahu, Rellin topped the field with a jump of 7 feet 11 inches. “And that’s with shoes,” he explained.
That jump earned Rellin the opportunity to represent five states in the Pacific Southwest region along with five other competitors at the North American final at the Henry Hershey Field on Aug. 12 in Hershey, Pa.
Joining Rellin, the only outer island competitor, will be five O`ahu girls-Sanoe Aina, Alyssa Chun, Kalena Hanohano, Cartney McCall and Kristina Noga, who will also compete in a field of over 400 youth athletes in Pennsylvania.
Rellin is only the second Kaua`i youngster who will be making the trip to Hershey The other was Levi Maeda, who competed in the softball throw last year, finishing fifth.
Arashiro said Rellin has a good chance this year, jumping against seven other boys from the seven other regions, including Canada.
During the five-day stay at Elizabethtown College, which is close to field where the events will take place, the athletes and their chaperones will be treated to tours of the town as well as the Hershey plant of Hershey Foods Corporation, the world’s largest chocolate factory.
Additionally, the corporation will host the athletes to the Hersheyland amusement complex in addition to being given time to get ready for the meet.
Arashiro said the girls in his Parks and Recreation office, as well as his daughter Cory have been busy making ti leaf leis for he and Rellin to take with them when the pair leave Lihu`e on Wednesday.
Hilo Hattie’s will provide the pair with special shirts to wear at the event.
The pride in Jonathan’s accomplishment is reflected in the face of his mom, who will not be accompanying the group to Pennsylvania because of the costs involved.
However, Ann points out with pride the involvement Jonathan has with being a part of the Lihu`e Pop Warner football program, where he says he plays offense and defense for the Dolphins.
Ann also notes that Jonathan was recognized as the Outstanding Boy Athlete in his age group for the Kaua`i, and was also a Boy Scout with the troop sponsored by the Immaculate Conception Church.
Staff photographer Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253); dfujimoto@pulitzer.net
