Blue River Sports Authority/Shelby County and Shelbyville have been selected by the Cross Country Coaches as hosts for the 2019 National Youth Championships. The competition will take place Nov. 23, 2019 at the Blue River Cross Country Course in Shelbyville.
The event is expected to be a boon for the Shelbyville/Shelby County Community.
“We are very excited to partner with the Blue River Sports Authority in hosting the 2019 National Youth Championships,” Frank Miklavcic, Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships Meet Director said. “Blue River is an outstanding venue for cross-country, and I know competitors and their fans will be impressed with the facility. Blue River Sports Authority and Shelby County Tourism & Visitors Bureau stepped up to assist us with securing the venue, and we
appreciate all the effort invested by everyone involved”.
The proposal was coordinated by Gary Nolley, Vice President of the Blue River Sports Authority, which promotes recreational and competitive sports in Shelby County.
“We are excited and pleased the committee for the Cross Country Coaches Youth Championships selected our county, and our facilities to host this event. Over 2,200 athletes will come to Shelby County to participate in this national event”, states Nolley.
In addition to being a first-class facility, the course has 450 available rooms within two miles, and an additional 1200 within a 30-minute drive of Shelbyville, which was also a determining factor for the CCC committee.
“Blue River Sports Authority and Shelby County Tourism and Visitors’ Bureau are excited that the Cross Country Coaches Youth Championships selected the Blue River Cross Country Course at Blue River Memorial Park as the site for their National Championships. We’ve proven it before and we will prove again, our facilities are world-class, and not too many can treat officials and athletes as well as we do in Shelby County”, said Rachael Ackley, Executive Director of the Shelby County Tourism and Visitor’s Bureau and Blue River Sports Authority.
“Through the hard work of the board, especially Gary Nolley, a competitive bid was submitted in a very tight time-frame. We are confident that the Cross Country Coaches will find Shelbyville a perfect location, with all the amenities and hospitality the runners and officials deserve”.
“After our NCAA Regional Meet last year, word is getting out that this is a top-notch facility,” Nolley said. “This will be a great event for our Shelby County communities, and we will have a very busy city from November 22nd to the 24th."
