The family of Jack Hudgins Sr. has established the Jack Hudgins Sr. Memorial Track Fund to support the Kids, Inc. track program and help ensure children in our community have the opportunity to experience the lifelong benefits of sports.
For Jack, participation and enjoyment of sports began at an early age and became a foundation for a lifetime of healthy activity. Born in 1928, before Kids, Inc. was established, Jack grew up in Amarillo, where organized athletics did not begin until middle school. He took full advantage of every opportunity to play sports at Sam Houston and later at Amarillo High, where he participated in football and track.
Track became Jack’s focus at Rice University, where he competed in relays and sprints up to 400 meters. After college, he served in the Navy, saw the world, and spent time as an athletic instructor. As life moved forward, Jack married, raised a family, helped coach Kids, Inc. teams, and ran a business. Even during busy seasons, he remained committed to staying active, regularly going to the gym and jogging the Tascosa track.
In his sixties, Jack added road biking to his activities and competed in events including the Hotter’N Hell Hundred, MS 150, and Enchanted Circle in the New Mexico mountains. In his seventies, he began competing in Senior Games track-and-field events across multiple states, learning and practicing the shot put, discus, and javelin along the way.
Jack’s love for track continued well into his later years. At 90 years old, he qualified for the National Senior Games and earned a gold medal in discus, a silver medal in shot put, and a bronze medal in javelin.
Without question, Jack’s lifelong participation in sports helped keep him healthy, active, and engaged throughout his life. It all started when he was a kid.
In memory of Jack, this fund was created to support Kids, Inc.’s dedication to exposing all children to sports and helping them build skills, confidence, character, and a foundation for lifelong activity.
“…And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us…”
Hebrews 12:1-2
