The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
While there may be no track surrounding Creighton Community School, or within the town for that matter, and there is not an actual throwing or jumping area, the Kodiak Track and Field athletes didnÕt let that stop them this past weekend as they were up against the best of the best in Saskatchewan. Eight students from the school traveled to Regina Thursday to prepare for the Saskatchewan High School Athletics AssociationÕs Track and Field Provincials, which would push them to their limits. Coaches Jason Straile, Ryan Trumbley, Janel Pearson and Al Ritch accompanied the team to the city. As a first time serious Track and Field team, the athletes and coaches unloaded the bus at the Canada Games stadium near Douglas Park not knowing fully what to expect. Once all were registered, it was a waiting game for the team and the coaches. Just shy of 1,500 athletes from around the province entered through the gates of the park over the next two days. The Canada Games Athletic Complex and Liebel Field, which was divided into throwing, jumping and running sectors, housed the athletes along with coaches and spectators. As the Kodiaks donned their black and yellow pinnies, for the North Eastern Division, they realized what they were up against. The majority of the teams in the province have a chance to practice year-round while the students at Creighton Community School have less than a month to perfect their skills. ÒWith three weeks of training, it shows a little bit of training goes a long way,Ó said jumping coach Pearson, after the event was over. The eight athletes, Danny Suchaplus, Brett Ferguson, Tory Nasselquist, Brittney Holland, Lloyd Kawa, Brooke Knutson, Jonah Pretzer and Cory Dupre, ran, threw and jumped as best they could Friday during the heat while they battled the rain and wind on Saturday. Though the team didnÕt walk away with a bundle of gold medals, they walked away with the realization of what they are up against next year. All the coaches were looking for was for their athletes to do the best they could. See 'Overw...' on pg. Continued from pg. ÒConsidering the weather conditions and the overwhelming nature of the competition,Ó said running coach Trumbley, Òthe athletes came close or beat their personal bests.Ó The Kodiaks contributed a total of 12 points, which is 10 per cent of the contribution from the North East Division. ÒWith so few athletes, weÕre really happy with that,Ó said Straile. Overall, the eight athletes competed in 12 events throughout the weekend. ÒThis is an elite high school athletics competition,Ó said Pearson. ÒThese are the best Saskatchewan has to offer Ð the pudding skin of the province.Ó Pearson says it was amazing to watch all the athletes throughout the competition. ÒThese kids are not only able to compete, but to do well at this level,Ó she says. ÒItÕs a test to them and a test to the North.Ó With the 2008 Provincials behind them, the athletes now have an idea of what to expect for next year. ÒThey are going to be able to compete and improve. They are only going to get better,Ó said Straile. Over the last few seasons, coaches at the school have tried to get a Track and Field team going, but as Pearson says, there wasnÕt enough interest, until now. ÒThere were always small handfuls of kids participating, but as kids find out, more would show up. This is different from team sports,Ó she says. ÒSome kids are finding they can really excel at the individual level.Ó And excel they did. This year with the students in Regina, Pearson says she, along with the rest of the coaches, is Òridiculously proud." ÒEven if they werenÕt going for their personal best, they were there to do what they could,Ó says the jumping coach. ÒThey are a fantastic group of kids.Ó And it wasnÕt only the Creighton coaches who thought they had great students. ÒWe had many great compliments about our athletes from other people,Ó says Trumbley, noting they were also asking who or what Creighton was. But the Kodiaks showed them just what Creighton was. ÒWe hope the success gets other kids to get out and participate next year,Ó added Straile. Danny was the only Kodiak to bring home a medal from the Saskatchewan High School Athletics AssociationÕs Track and Field Provincials, but out of eight athletes, there were five top 10 finishes. See 'Happy' on pg. Continued from pg. ÒIÕm happy, but not satisfied,Ó said Danny, noting that he wanted to be in first place. Having any athletes competing at the Provincial level is great, noted Straile. Lloyd showed what he was made of in the 800 metre race as he stayed ahead of the pack the entire race, finishing first in his heat and eighth overall, also increased his personal best time. ÒThe level of excitement watching Lloyd in the lead the whole time was great,Ó says Pearson. He also took another personal best in the long jump. Cory, who earned a personal best in the 100 meter and 200 meter, won his heat in the 200 meter race. Brooke Knutson also earned a personal best with her run in the 100 meter dash. Five athletes, Brooke, Tory, Jonah, Brittney and Brett finished in the top 20 of the province. Both Cory and Brooke were named to the 4x100 relay team for the North Eastern Division and Lloyd was named as an alternate for the boys team. Although the Sr girls team was unable to finish, Brooke ran another great race. And the boys team came in sixth in the province, with a great run by Cory as well. The Kodiaks will have some familiar faces next year as none of the athletes are graduating this year. Both the students and the coaches are looking forward to the next season.
