Quakers of All Ages: Penn Track & Field Embarks on Eighth Year with Young Quakers Program

PHILADELPHIA – Every year since 2013, the University of Pennsylvania track and field teams have joined forces with the Netter Center for Community Partnerships in a program called Young Quakers Community Athletics (YQCA).

YQCA establishes athletic teams with students from Penn’s University-Assisted Community Schools in West Philadelphia and engages them with Penn’s varsity teams....

This year is set to look much different for the YQCA program, making the move to virtual over the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“This fall, we’ll still be holding the same weekly track sessions, just over Zoom instead,” said Lombard. “It’ll be a mix of physical activity and mentorship. We’ll do our best to use breakout rooms to continue to use the mentorship model where Young Quakers and Big Quakers are able to pair up and connect in smaller groups.”

The Netter Center has been working through the virtual programming since the pandemic started earlier this year, and with trial and error has been quite successful. YQCA will even take another step forward this fall, hoping to send sports equipment to the homes of the Young Quakers to encourage them to continue to participate....

Check out the full feature from Penn Athletics here.