Future looks bright: Clayton Lakatos has big day on track, baseball field Friday

EDWARDSVILLE — Clayton Lakatos is your typical 10-year-old. He’s involved in many sports, and usually plays in two events in the same day.

Which was the case on Friday evening, where he came from his baseball game to the Winston Brown Track and Field Complex at Edwardsville High School to run in the first of two Friday Night Lights track meets designed to introduce kids to the sport and have a good time running.

“It was fun, running,” Clayton said. “And I just had a baseball game, so I was kind of tired.”

He didn’t do too bad in the ball game, either.

“I got two doubles and a single, and we won 10-7,” Clayton said with a smile.

Clayton’s interest in running came naturally to him — he’s the son of Edwardsville boys’ track coach Chad Lakatos, whose team won the IHSA Class 3A championship May 27 in Charleston.

“My dad,” Clayton said. “He taught me. And I’m just fast, so I like running.”

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As for his future plans, Clayton does see himself as a future member of the Tigers’ track team.

“Yeah,” Clayton said. “Because my dad always talks about what I’m going to do, what events that I’m going to do.”

It could very well be as a sprinter. Clayton’s favorite events are both the 100- and 200-meter dashes. And track does help him with the other sports that he plays.

“in baseball, I can run faster to the bases,” Clayton said, “in basketball, I can go down the court, and in soccer, I can get to the ball.”

And at the end of a delightful interview, Clayton had one more thing to say.

“Go Tigers!,” he said with a big smile.

There’s no question that with his great personality, Clayton Lakatos will go far in whatever athletic endeavor that he chooses to compete in. He’s definitely one to watch for in the future.

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