Acadia selected as site for NSSAF track & field events

WOLFVILLE, N.S. - The Town of Wolfville and Acadia University will play host to local and provincial high school track and field participants and enthusiasts during the month of May and June as three Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation track and field events and the annual Acadia Relay Races kick off in the coming week.

In early May of each year, the Acadia Relays (an NSSAF sanctioned Open Track & Field competition) is held at Acadia University’s Raymond Field. Historically, this is the original site where the first provincial high school meet was held in 1926. Acadia is proud to support this new dimension in NSSAF School Track & Field. This annual meet features three Co-Ed Relay races and two Co-Ed Field events along with a Special Olympics 100m race for males and females. This year's Relays are slated for Friday, May 1 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

For the second year in a row, Acadia University's Raymond Field will be host to the May 22nd and 23nd Valley District Track & Field Meet starting at approximately 9:30 a.m. each day followed by the Valley Regional Track & Field Meet on May 29th and 30th, starting at approximately 9:30 a.m. each day.  Both District and Regionals, which have rotated to various High Schools in the Annapolis Valley, has found home to the eight lane Raymond Field track and various throwing areas.

For the first time, Acadia will be home to this year’s NSSAF Provincial Track and Field championships hosted on June 5^th and 6^th starting at 9:30 a.m. each day.

Acadia University’s Director of Athletics, Kevin Dickie, is pleased to see Raymond Field’s facilities finally utilized for local and provincial NSSAF track and field events.

“Acadia is pleased and proud to partner with track and field at the local, regional and provincial levels. It’s outstanding to have so many young students on our campus with their parents, and also to showcase our beautiful campus and facilities”, said Dickie. “Our partnership with the track and field community has rekindled in a significant way since 2012, and Acadia Athletics is proud of the efforts it’s made, along with some tremendous volunteers, to help keep this great sport vibrant, and front and center in the Annapolis Valley.”

While showcasing the Acadia campus to potential future students, the opportunity for the Town of Wolfville to attract visitors is important in the early spring. Executive Director of the Wolfville Business Development Corporation, David Hovell, welcomes sporting events hosted at Acadia University.

“We want to welcome all the student track and field competitors, coaches, families and supporters to downtown Wolfville.  Wolfville is so fortunate to benefit from the world-class athletic facilities at Acadia University – an attraction for multi-sport events like track and field that has a tremendous positive impact on our downtown during the shoulder season.””, pointed out Hovell.

This year’s district, regional and provincial track and field meets are the first of a long list of sporting events that are slated for the coming fall and winter season. Included in this list is Acadia’s Varsity Sport season; the annual Valley Harvest Marathon; Acadia’s Homecoming weekend, Atlantic University Sport’s men’s soccer and women’s volleyball championships and the Canadian Interuniversity Women’s Soccer championship slated for November of 2016.