Events and Activities : Vinton-Shellsburg Coaches Speak At Vinton Lions Club

By Brian Larkin The Vinton Lions Club held their regular Wednesday meeting at the Pizza Ranch. There were 46 members and 3 guests present. Club president Don Eells announced the club had been presented with the Ginko Award by Lions Club International. The award is given to Lions Club chapters that exhibit extraordinary membership growth. Kurt Karr was welcomed as the Lions club’s newest member. After the business portion of the meeting, coaches Heather Kalous, Eric Chivala, and David Cornell spoke about the Vikette and Viking track teams and the Vikette soccer team, respectively. Coach David Cornell said the soccer program has grown tremendously, not only at the high school level, but there are now organized soccer teams from sixth grade on up. “Talking to some of the other coaches, I think our youth program already is ahead of where the rest of the other conference schools are”, he said. Boy’s track coach Eric Chivala said the Vinton-Shellsburg track team has had fantastic results so far this year. “Over the last two years, we have had the most successful years in our program’s history”, he said. So far this year the team has seen eight meets with one first place finish, four seconds, third once. “We are competing at a high level, and that’s what I’m most proud of,” Chivala added. Vikette track coach Heather Kalous announced the girls took second at their most recent meet. And said the girls are preparing for district competition at South Tama on May 14th. There are 33 girls out for track this year. That’s down from a year ago. She asked parents and members of the community to encourage kids to go out for sports. The team recently volunteered at the regional Special Olympics competition at Coe College. “The girls loved it. They had a lot of fun and want to do it again next year”, she said. The next track meet for the Vikings/Vikettes will be Thursday night starting at 5pm at the Karr Athletic complex in Vinton.