The Lean, Green, Well-Oiled Machine

For Immediate Release
Date: February 1, 2015
Contact: Amy Sorensen (801) 554-6988
E-mail: media@simplotgames.com

The Lean, Green, Well-Oiled Machine

The Story Behind the Volunteer Equipment Carriers

Pocatello, Idaho – Of the many faithful volunteers who contribute to Simplot Games each year, one group of young local students has become essential.
You’ll catch them in their bright green shirts as they work long hours down near the track. Their primary role is to watch over the athlete’s gear while the athletes compete; they collect it from the athletes before their races and return it immediately after each event. This helps the thousands of athletes move on and off the track and field as quickly as possible, maintaining Simplot Games reputation for running on time, even with the large number of events and athletes.
Shannon Whitmer, a long-time Simplot Games volunteer, oversees these students.
“If we didn’t have some sort of system like this…there’s no way we could run things as efficiently as we do,” she says.
Whitmer feels that the most rewarding part of this job is hearing the positive responses from the athletes.
“The athletes respect [the volunteers] and are thankful for them being there,” she says. “They even come back and remember some of them from the year before.”
When asked what gets these kids so excited to help out, Whitmer says, “It’s just such a big deal, you know, the Simplot Games…and to even say that you’re a part of that, I just think they really enjoy it.”
Through their hard work in service of the athletes, these volunteers are a proud representation of Simplot Games every year.
More than 2,000 athletes will come from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australia to participate in the 37^th annual Simplot Games. Simplot Games remains the nation’s premier high school indoor track and field event. Sponsored by the J.R. Simplot Company since 1979, the Simplot Games are held at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho.
For more information on Simplot Games, please visit our website at www.simplotgames.com. You may also contact Lisa Woodland at (208) 235-5673 or Simplot Games Media Team at media@simplotgames.com.
###
Simplot Games
The Nation’s Premiere High School Track & Field Event
Pocatello, Idaho
(208) 235-5673
See Simplot Games on Twitter @SimplotGames, Facebook, Instagram, Vine and YouTube
www.simplotgames.com