Ideas that Work
Elementary 5K Run
Activity Details
Position: Director of Athletics
Phone Number: 843-383-8073
Email Address: tgriggs@coker.edu
Name of School:
Coker College
Conference: Conference Carolinas
Description of Activity
As part of Booster club fundraising we have been organizing a 5 K run with the help of our cross country student-athletes for the past 6 years. The event is associated with the Palmetto Grand Prix so they are able to get points for running the event. Although we were getting decent attendance we found an opportunity to boost attendance by creating an Elementary Division and establishing the Cobra Challenge Cup. Most recently we had seven local elementary schools enter and compete against each other for the Challenge Cup. Four kids are required to field a team, but we do get more kids to come out and run. We organize sponsors for each of the schools that help cover t-shirts and other costs. When the event is over there is a traveling trophy presented to the winning school. The Director of Athletics goes to the elementary school and presents the trophy to the students who won. This event truly helped bring more individuals to our campus, established further sponsorship recognition, and allowed the elementary students to be engaged with our cross country team. We have great buy-in from everyone involved and it has really pushed our 5K from being just a race to being a gathering welcoming walkers as well.
Associated Costs
How much (in dollars) this cost to plan, prepare and run:
Sponsors give $100 per team and that helps pay the entry for 5 elementary students. If there are more than five a charge of $15 is to each person. The costs for adults to run/walk is $25 and they receive a t-shirt as well.
T-Shirt Cost: $5-$6. Sponsors can give an additional $50 to put their name on the back of the t-shirt.
All of our costs were covered from the sponsorships. We actually made $3,300 in sponsorship sales for the event. We have local grocery stores provide water and fruit so no costs are incurred there. The local Pepsi company also provides Gatorade products.
Individuals Involved
Number of volunteers it took to execute:
Booster Club: 10-12 individuals.
Cross Country Student-Athletes and Coaches.
The target audience:
- Grade school children
- Middle school children
- High school children
- Parents & grandparents
- Extended community groups
- Senior citizens
- Alumni
- Donors & supporters
- Specific schools, districts or parts of districts
- Honoring fire, police, medical, & military etc.
- Local business leaders / potential & current sponsors
- Sports organizations
- Local Teachers
- Community/civic organization
- Non-athlete students / other campus groups
- Prospective students
- Local media
- Other
Planning Process
Days of planning from the first day of planning until the last day of execution:
We start planning approximately a month before the event organizing sponsors, gathering what schools are going to attend, making fliers, and making t-shirts.
How was it marketed:
Newspaper, fliers, and website.
How many times this was ran in a given year:
We only put the event on one time a year. It could be done twice, but we do well with only having one. Switching the event from February to October really helped increase attendance. We like starting the event at 9:00 and try to find dates where there is not a cross country event.
Conference-wide initiative:
No
Reactions
Community reactions:
Extremely positive
Student-athletes reactions:
Positive
Coaches reactions:
Helps generate interests in cross country and increases awareness for Cobra Athletics
The overall value for generating community interest or spirit: (1 - 5, 5=most valuable)
4
Enhancement Suggestions
