Capo Valley Boys Cross Country Teams Up With CCPM For The OSO Fit Cerebral Palsy Kids Walk/Run

by Debbie Fragner in Blog, Uncategorized. Posted January 23, 2018

Matt Soto is the head coach for the Capo Valley Boys Cross Country team. His team will be attending the OSO Fit Cerebral Palsy Kids Walk/Run as running buddies for kids that need a little extra help crossing the finish line. Coach Soto sat down to let us know how he and his students became involved with Children’s Cerebral Palsy Movement, and why the cause is so important to him.

-How did you hear about Children’s Cerebral Palsy Movement’s interest in holding a Cerebral Palsy Kids Walk/Run? Why did you offer to help?

This event was brought to my attention by Bill Stephens, who in the past years has been involved in the cross country program at Capo Valley. He contacted me about the event and the chance to pair our cross country athletes with kids with Cerebral Palsy in a mutually beneficial situation. Volunteering is a great opportunity for our team to do something positive for our community. It only made sense that we would make every attempt to help out any way we could since running is so much a part of what we do on a daily basis.

-Was it your idea to have the team volunteer, or was it a team decision?

Once I learned there was the opportunity for our team to volunteer, I immediately thought this was something we should pursue. I knew there wouldn’t be much trouble to get the team as excited about the event as I was when I first found out about it. It’s not every day that we get the chance to do something like this so we had to jump at the chance.

-Was it your idea to have the team volunteer, or was it a team decision?

I think there is a great deal our athletes can learn from taking part in this event. For one, they will get the opportunity to experience something they are familiar with, finishing a race, but from the perspective of someone who has to overcome more obstacles to get there. Additionally, they will get the chance to learn what it means to share something they do regularly with ease with someone who may never have had the opportunity to do anything like it before. I feel there will be plenty of common ground however as the feeling of finishing a race is an experience that is rewarding for anyone.

-Any paid participant has the opportunity to designate their pre-registration fees to a charity of choice. Given that your team is volunteering to be running buddies for the CP kids, how might you and your team spread the word about the event and your team’s involvement in order to build awareness and attendance?

The easiest way to spread awareness of this great event will likely just be through simple word of mouth. Thankfully we have a large program and parents who are involved who can help get the word out. Social media also makes things much easier to reach a large number of people quickly. I have every confidence that once people become aware of this event and our involvement in it they will be as excited as we are to take part.

Matt Soto

Capo Valley Boy’s Head Cross Country Coach