Running for health and fun

September 5, 2018 by Fred Strohl

Ten-year old Ruben Rogel of Clinton is one of a number of Clinton City Schools’ students running on its very first elementary cross-country team this fall.

The North Clinton Elementary School fifth grader practices with the team every school day and is running in a series of meets. A difference between Ruben and his teammates is that he has Down Syndrome.

Ruben, one of three children to parents Ruben and Jamie Rogel, got involved with running this summer in part because of his 14-year-old sister, Jade, who is a freshman at Clinton High School and runs cross-country for the Lady Dragons.

“Ruben is a little overweight and he needs exercise to get into better shape,” Jade said one day during a break in workouts near the Dragons’ football stadium. “He needs to be more healthy and this is a good way for him to do that.”

Mother Jamie said Ruben is an active child and running cross-country is an extension of that activity.

“Ruben has always loved activities outside,” Jamie said. “He likes to play basketball and soccer. He likes to dance, too. He can dance the choreography by heart to Michael Jackson’s video “Thriller.”

“It’s hot, but I like to run,” Ruben said as he was preparing to do stretching exercises.

Ruben and the rest of the Clinton team ran last week in a cross-country meet at the Songbird Trail at Norris Dam last week. Ruben Sr. said his son finished the race and that was quite an accomplishment.

The Rogels have become a Clinton cross-country family. In addition to Ruben and Jade, eight-year-old Lindsey, a third grader at North Clinton, is also running on the Clinton team. Mom, Dad and the three kids are always at practice together.