Long Beach Poly track seeking community support after weather cancellations

There is no athletics program in the city that’s been more successful than the Long Beach Poly High School track and field team. The Jackrabbits (or “Trackrabbits” as they’re often referred to) have won 34 boys and girls CIF Southe Section championships and 24 CIF State titles. To get a sense of the scale of that accomplishment, consider that no other high school in Califoia besides Poly has won more than 20 state titles in all sports combined, not just track and field.

The Jackrabbits compete on a national level as well, with an out-of-state schedule that often includes meets in Arizona or Texas, and for the last 20 years, the Pe Relays. This year the weather played havoc with the team’s fund-raising efforts, and the Jackrabbits have had to tu to the community to help fund another trip to Philadelphia, where Poly is the five-time reigning champion in the girls 4x100 relay.

With no funding from the school district to cover travel costs, the team has built a reputation for hustling to raise the money necessary to travel. Every year they host movie nights and dances as well as a series of all-comer meets, which have become the backbone of their fund-raising, usually netting between $15,000-19,000.

This year, rain flooded Chittick Field and forced the cancellation of all five of the team’s plaed meets, leaving the Jackrabbits with a big gap to fill. Poly coach Crystal Irving tued to the Long Beach community and has been overwhelmed with the response.

In less than three weeks, the team has raised more than $6,000, over half of the $10,000 target needed for the team to retu to the 121-year old relays. That money has come from a variety of sources, including a $1,600-plus donation from the Long Beach Century Club, as well as 34 donations on the team’s GoFundMe page where alumnae such as Shalonda Solomon have chipped in along, with fans. The page has been shared more than 350 times.

Even the Poly football alumni association made a donation of $250.

“To see all of the support that’s come from the Long Beach community, it’s really a blessing and I can’t tell you what it means to our kids,” Irving said.

The support has likely been so high for two reasons; the program represents the community exceptionally in not only wiing CIF-SS and State titles, but developing a true national following, something cultivated in particular by the Jackrabbits’ visits to the Pe Relays.

There are fans in Philadelphia every year in green and gold who’ve never visited Califoia or Long Beach, But they support Poly because it is the only American team that has competed recently against Jamaican powerhouse schools, which allow athletes up to 19 and 20 years old). Poly is the only American girls team to beat the Jamaicans since 1981, having won eight world titles in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

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Despite the team’s success, the Jackrabbits have never really asked the general public for money. As a result, the Century Club not only made a $1,000 donation, but also came up with another $640 from out-of-pocket donations by individual members at a recent meeting where Irving spoke about her team’s situation.

In addition to carrying on the school and the team’s legacy at one of the most historic meets in the world, Irving wants to make another trip this year because the meet has paid big benefits for individual athletes. Leah Richmond eaed a full scholarship to Columbia before Poly went back to the airport. The Jackrabbits also have had four athletes recognized as athlete of the meet, the most of any American high school (Bryshon Nellum, Derrick Jones, Solomon and Ariana Washington).

Should Poly defend its girls 4x100 title, Irving said she believed senior Maya Perkins would be the first athlete to take home four consecutive gold watches, the meet’s reward for national title-wiers.

Those wishing to donate can visit the team’s GoFundMe page, or by mailing a check made out to Long Beach Poly Track at 1600 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90803, care of Crystal Irving (Tax ID number available upon request).