The Warren Striders Track Club, Inc., a non-profit tax exempt charitable youth organization, was founded January 25, 1977 by Jack C. Thornton, Jr. the then Head Boy's Track and Cross Country Coach at Warren Western Reserve High School.

Early Mentors - Five men encouraged and supported Thornton during the formative years of this coaching career.  Thornton regarded them as his mentors, and for their concern and support, he is eternally grateful.  Three of the five were most helpful and supportive;  Paul Gore, Bogan Reed, and Bob Young.

Paul Gore and Bogan Reed were longtime track officials and track enthusiasts.  Bob Young was the founder of the Stueben Striders Track Club in Thornton's hometown of Steubenville, OH.  Chuck Smith and Ed Wilson rounded out the group of  five early Thornton mentors. 

Chuck Smith founded the Warren Track Club in Warren and Ed Wilson founded  the Austintown Community Track Club in Austintown, OH.  Smith and Wilson had influences on Thornton and the creation of the Warren Striders Track Club.

The "Idea" - The idea for the Warren Striders Track Club developed from the "W.W.R Track-A-Teers". whom Thornton organized and supervised as a winter indoor track conditioning program for Warren Western Reserve High School's Boys and Girls Track Teams.  The winter conditioning program extended into the summer to  provide additional track and field development and competitions.   Thus the "Track-A-Teers" evolved into the "Striders" as a "Grass Roots" Track and Field Development Program for the youth and adults in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.  Further expansion of the Striders resulted in the formation of an affiliate group which included youth from Stark, Wayne, Portage, and Summit Counties.

The Warren Striders affiliate club, The Massillon Jackson-Warren Striders (Stark County), nearly doubles the club's membership annually.  The Stark affiliate is coached by  former Thornton assistant Jay Murdock.   Murdock served as a Thornton assistant while teaching at Western Reserve.  Thornton and Murdock have maintained their close coaching relationship and both hold true to the club's motto: "We Encourage Participation."

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