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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUly 31, 2026 Page 7 A Number One Team Saugus Sachems Track Camp finishes first among 18 teams competing in a rhode island track meet By Mark E. Vogler S ix-year-old Charlie Tobies said she felt like she was part of something special this summer while learning how to hurdle, run and throw a javelin. “It was pretty good,” she said of her experience as a member of the Saugus Sachems Track Camp. “All I know is that I made new friends. I liked that I got to do my events and hang out with other people I didn’t know,” said Charlie, who will be in the first grade when school resumes in the fall. She will get to tell her new classmates what it was like to win a first-place medal in the javelin competition for kids her age or the second-place medal for the 400 meter run. Charlie was one of 45 kids – many of them displaying athletic medals and ribbons – who celebrated as champions last week at William L. MacNeil Memorial Track and Field. Saugus Sachems Track Camp finished in first place among the 18 teams competing in the Sixth Annual CLCF Summer Showdown in Cranston, R.I., on July 18. This year’s finish was the best one for the group, which had previously finished third (2025), second (2024), third (2023) and third (2022) during its five years at the track meet. “This group was unique in many ways,” said Coach Chris Tarantino, who has been organizing the track camp for 21 years. Despite a high turnover in participants, the camp had its biggest group of first-year participants, allowing a group of 64 young athletes to participate in the Cranston meet. “This was also the widest range of ages as having more high school kids than we’ve had in the past,” Tarantino said. “But what really separated this group of kids was that resiliency dealing with unprecedented heat waves rescheduling torrential downpour nights and right before heading down to Rhode Island dealing with the impacts of the Canadian fires but through it all they came together bonded support each other worked exceptionally hard and earned the desired results.” “Coach T.,” as he is affectionately known by people familiar with his track camp program, has a knack of involving parents, counselors and alumni as well as current Middle and High School track team members. Some of the older kids in the program assume coaching roles, passing on their knowledge to the younger athletes. Elias Belkheira, 16, who will be going into his junior year at the Pioneer Charter School, competed in three different events this summer: the high jump, long jump and triple jump. “I compete, but my main focus was to counsel the kids,” Elias said. “I mostly help out in the jumping. All of the kids interested in jumping come to me,” he said. Nathalie Bonhomme has been watching her daughter, Aubrey Viciere, 14, participate in the track camp for five years. “I watched her enjoyment for the kids she coaches when they cross the finish line,” observed Bonhomme. “She was more excited for them than herself. She took care of those kids like they were her own. She was a counselor to kids,” she said. Tarantino praised Aubrey’s leadership skills in working with younger kids. At last week’s get-together, several parents of first-time participants said they are impressed with how the track camp program helps their kids. Rosetta DiPrizio credited the program with having a positive influence on her 12-year-old son, Dante. “I think it helped him grow self-esteem and confidence,” DiPrizio said. “Coach T. and his coaches are phenomenal,” she said. Nicole Connor, another parent of a first-year participant in the track camp, called it a great experience for her 12-yearold son Matthew. “I thought it was a great program and very well-organized,” Connor said. “The coaches are very supportive and encouraging. And they’re good at meeting new parents,” she said. Annalisa Ferrara, 12, has been competing at the track camp for six years. She won first again in the hurdles for her age category. “I like that I’m really good, and it’s also a lot of fun,” she said. Her passion has affected her dad, Rob Ferrera, who has been coaching at the track camp for a couple of years. “When I was growing up, my father liked Little League coaching. He got me into it,” Ferrera said. “I try to use his tools in talking to the kids and trying to get them to do things that they don’t think they can do. It’s a lot of fun and I forget about work when I come here,” he said. Matthew Benoit, 12, and his three brothers – John, 13; James, 9 and Mark, 8 – participated again in this year’s track camp. “I learned a lot and got better in all of my events,” Matthew said. “And if anybody is interested in it, I would tell them it’s a lot of fun and you can do what you like to do. Even if you’re not fast, you can find an event that you can compete in,” he said. Tarantino’s 14-year-old daughter, Naomi, said she has been involved in the track camp for 13 years. “I think it’s a great opportunity to try new things and have a great opportunity to compete,” she said. Summer Track Camp Roster 2026 The following roster lists the student athletes who competed in this summer’s track camp, their age and the age category they competed in. It also lists the events they competed in and how they finished. Those with no listed events didn’t attend the meet. AJ Diciero 10/11: 100, 800 (8th), Javelin (3rd), Discus (4th). Aiden Montina 12: 80m Hurdles, 100m, Standing Long Jump (6th), High Jump. Amelia Clark 12: Hammer (1st), Discus (3rd), Shot Put (7th). Angel Gensel-Hrubes 7: 50m Hurdles, 100m, 200m, Javelin (7th). Annalisa Ferrara 12: 80m Hurdles (1st), 100m (8th, 200m (7th), Long Jump (7th). Ariana Colasanti 9: 80m Hurdles, Javelin (2nd), Shot Put (5th), Standing Triple Jump (6th). Aubrey Viciere 14: SMR 800m Relay (3rd), Discus (3rd), Shot Put (4th), High Jump. Avalynn Giacobbe 14: SMR 800m Relay (3rd). Brandon Szloch 10: 80m Hurdles (3rd), Standing Triple (1st), Javelin (2nd), 100m. Brayden Giacobbe 11/12: Hammer (3rd), Javelin, Long Jump. Brie Churchill 7/8 Brody Melon 9: 80m Hurdles (1st), Shot Put (4th), 100m (6th), 200m. Campbell Garrity 8: 50m Hurdles, 400m, Javelin (1st-Meet NUMBER ONE | SEE PAGE 10 Annalisa Ferrara, 12, displaying the first-place medal she won in the 80 meter hurdles, was joined by her proud dad, Rob Ferrera. Nathalie Bonhomme with her Brothers Jonathan and Matthew Bell were joined by their mom, Andrea Bell. 14-year-old daughter, Aubrey Viciere, who won third-place medals in the Discus and the Sprint Medley Relay Nicole Connor and her 12-yearold son, Matthew, who won four ribbons for the events he competed in. PROUD MOMS: Nicole Connor, Rosetta DiPrizio and Rosana Belkheira.

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