CLOSE-UP : Only Air Fare Keeps Five Young Eagles From Going the Distance

Earlier this month, the West Valley Eagles jetted to a national age-group (11-12) record at the Track City Classic in Eugene, Ore., with a 52.48-second effort in the 4 x 100 meters relay.

That victory qualified the team of Mike Santiago, Doug Rawlings, Adam Guzzo and Jaffers Bailey for the biggest competition of the year: the International Youth Meet of Champions, Aug. 3-4, in Plainfield, N.J. The meet brings together the top age-group competitors in the world. In addition, Kenny Sims qualified as a member of the 4 x 400 relay team.

But, the high-flying performances in Oregon may have been the group’s swan song for this season.

Although the Eagles have shown they can soar across the finish line with ease, the team may have been grounded indefinitely in their quest to fly across to the United States.

The reason is money.

“The parents are spent out,” Coach Ben Bailey said. “They’ve done the California circuit and they’ve driven the kids up to Oregon. There’s no money left.”

There are also no funds available from the West Valley Eagles Sports Club, which sponsors the youth programs in track, football and basketball.

Longstanding club policy states that financial support ends at the conclusion of the regular Valley Conference season.

“The kids deserve the opportunity to go and compete,” Neal Friedman, a Sports Club board member, said. “But, then you have to look at where the priorities lie.

“It’s one of the precarious positions a sports club has to deal with. Each sport has to continuosly support the next one.”

Bailey figures it will take $2,500 for the Eagles to migrate east. He’s received a pledge from one company for $500, which he hopes will get the team off to a flying start----again.