The Go Bucs 5k is returning for its third year on Sept. 29 at Oswego High School to help support the booster club financially and promote the school’s “Buc Pride.”

Julie Chetney, the director for the race, is also on the Oswego City School District athletic booster club board. Chetney said the race instills school spirit between students and community members, while providing a great atmosphere for everyone involved, both participants and volunteers.

“As our board has evolved, we have really tried to expand our mission, unofficially, to foster and promote school spirit for all students and the community,” Chetney said. “We are a little hub of a district and are full of ‘Buc Pride,’ but we wanted to involve the community to bring that aspect to our schools. That’s kind of the idea that started the race. It was something we had never done before.”

The race happens during the school district’s homecoming weekend. Chetney said, at first, not many students participated because of how long a 5k race is. Also, the fact that different athletes had competitions on the Saturday the race is usually hosted on made the timing problematic for some.

“Collaborating in the future, we’d love to get our musicians on the course, but they sometimes have competitions on Saturdays,” Chetney said.

The Go Bucs 5k is part of a larger series called the Make Something Happen 20k, which is hosted by the city of Oswego. It includes three other races, including the Out-Run Autism 5k, which Chetney also directs, the Oswego Little League 5k and the Run for Your Health 5k.

Leo Babcock, the race director for the Little League run, is the person credited for coming up with the series. Participants receive shirts from all four races and a series jacket at the end if they complete all four races. The total cost is $100.

“I believe we have 57 registrants for the race, which is more than we thought,” Chetney said. “We were going to be happy with 25. I think next year, we’re going to break 100.”

Chetney said the booster club has received positive feedback about the Go Bucs 5k. The community has enjoyed seeing students get involved and “be excited about their school.” A golf tournament, also hosted by the booster club, has received similar results, Chetney said. Out of the nearly 10 fall sports teams, Chetney said about seven or eight come to support the race by participating or volunteering.

“For the 5k, people have said that’s why they keep coming back, because they love seeing the kids,” Chetney said. “Last year, we had the entire boys’ soccer team that was on the hardest part of the race, getting people up the hill. People said that was the best part of the entire race.”

The proceeds of this race go to the booster club, despite not making large profits. The race brings in a professional timing company to make the race feel official and authentic. The profits will stay low until the boosters start pressing for sponsorships, Chetney said. The board makes a couple thousand of dollars each year, according to Chetney.

“Our main objective was to make a sporting event that community members and students could participate in. It was not for financial reasons,” Chetney said. “It’s excellent we can get a little money, but it wasn’t the goal.”

The money the booster club gets goes toward requests put in by coaches, athletes and different teams. While they can only handle smaller items, like new sound systems or outdoor tents for the track team, the entire board is hoping for the chance to help with larger requests in the future.

“We’re also able to help students who might be more in need for athletic equipment,” Chetney said. “We don’t do a lot, but we’re building on it.”

As for Chetney, this race is another opportunity to help the athletic programs of Oswego schools, something her children have been heavily involved with. Her daughter, Claudia, now plays soccer at Le Moyne College. She also has two sons who are Buccaneers at the high school level. Her youngest son is in second grade.

Chetney said she believes high school sports are something that keeps children, especially hers, busy and involved. It also teaches student-athletes some aspects of life that are not always taught in the classroom.

“For me, whether the kid is a star athlete or they’re just doing it to be part of a team, I find great value in being part of an athletic program,” Chetney said.

Chetney has been on the boosters’ board for four years, and with her children heavily involved in athletics, she felt led to join the boosters. As for the race director position, her experience as the director for the Out Run Autism 5k made her qualified for the job.

“I started a not-for-profit locally, the Oswego County Autism Task Force, and, as a part of that, I started the autism run,” Chetney said. “I told the boosters I would run the race for them, and that’s how that all started.”

As for the race, the expansion has a lot of potential depending on collaboration between the board and school officials, such as athletic director Ronda Bullard and other administration. The plan is to prepare for the race earlier than the summer, which sometimes caused some issues, Chetney said.

“It’s coming together to what we want it to be,” Chetney said.

Photo by Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian