Young athletes representing 21 local junior high and middle schools are training to compete at the 77^th Annual Harold Pope Junior Relays on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Johansen High School Track & Field (641 Norseman Drive, Modesto). The public is invited to attend, and admission and parking are free. The event is sponsored by the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE), the Education Foundation of Stanislaus County, and Sutter Health.

The Junior Relays include a variety of track and field events. Schools participating this year include Cardozo, Creekside, Dutcher, Glick, Hanshaw, Hart-Ransom, Hickman, La Loma, Mountain View, Oakdale, Our Lady of Fatima, Prescott, Ross, St. Stanislaus, Salida, Somerset, Spratling, Turlock, Valley Home, Waterford, and Yolo.

The following track and field events are slated for the competition:

Track Events                                                               Field Events

Hurdles                                                                       Running Long Jump

400 Meter Relay                                                         Running High Jump

1600 Meter Run                                                          Triple Jump

400 Meter Dash                                                          Shot Put

100 Meter Dash                                                          Discus

800 Meter Run                                                           

200 Meter Dash

1600 Meter Relay

The annual Harold Pope Junior Relays is dedicated to the memory of Harold Pope (October 24, 1932 – October 31, 2016). The Junior Relays was renamed the Harold Pope Junior Relays in 2000 in honor of his 47 years of coaching, mentoring, and teaching youth in Stanislaus County. Harold was a principal, superintendent, coach, bus driver, motivator, and teacher in Valley Home.