There are moments in a young athlete's life that they'll never forget. Standing on a national podium, in front of the best in the country, is one of them.

This summer, athletes from Raise the Bar Track Club in Reno got to live that moment, not once, but again and again.

​At the 2026 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, held July 27 through August 2 at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California, our Reno-based athletes closed out the season with three national champions, a clean 1-2-3 podium sweep, and nine All-American finishes. These are kids from six different Northern Nevada high schools, all training under one roof, all pushing each other to be better every single day.

Here's what that looked like.

In the girls 15-16 pole vault, Raise the Bar did something you rarely see at a national meet: our athletes took the entire podium.

Avery Callahan, a rising sophomore at Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, won the national championship at 11'2.25". Right behind her, teammate Elizabeth Ramirez of Damonte Ranch High School cleared that same 11'2.25" to take second. Mara Kuchnicki of Carson High School rounded out the sweep with a third-place mark of 10'8.25".

​Three athletes. One club. One podium. All from Reno.

If you want to see where this program is headed, look at the younger athletes.

In the girls 13-14 pole vault, incoming Galena High School freshmen Taya Noble (10'4") and Averi Stucky (9'10") went 2-3. Noble wasn't done... She earned a second All-American honor with a third-place mark of 17'10.25" in the girls 13-14 long jump.

And in the boys 13-14 pole vault, incoming Bishop Manogue Catholic High School freshman Jude Wekselman placed fourth at 10'0.75".

​These are athletes just getting started, already competing with the best in the country.

It's easy to look at the marks and the medals and stop there. But if you're a parent, here's what those results are really telling you.

Every one of these athletes started somewhere. Some walked onto the track never having touched a pole vault pole. What got them to a national podium wasn't talent alone, it was structure, consistent coaching, and a team that shows up for each other. That's the whole idea behind Raise the Bar Track Club. We develop athletes for the long haul, in confidence and character as much as in performance.

​The results are proof it works. But the real win is watching a kid who wasn't sure they belonged walk off a national track knowing they do.

Whether your child is brand new to the sport or ready to chase big goals, there's a place for them at Raise the Bar Track Club in Reno. We coach athletes ages 7 to 18, from first-timers to national champions, in a supportive, structured environment built for real progress.

Fall programs are filling up now. To learn more and get your athlete started, visit go.jnssports.com/fall-programs or call us at 775-787-2438.

​Follow along with everything happening at Raise the Bar Track Club on Instagram at @raisethebar.reno.