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.
Dynasty. The term is often used to describe an individual or group who, over time, dominate in a given sport. A true team dynasty is only recognized after they have won numerous championships in a given timeframe. So then, how about five titles over five years? That's how many Zone 11 'A' Track and Field Championships Snow Lake's J.H. Kerr School has won. This year, in bringing home their fifth consecutive championship banner, the team bested their nearest competition by a comfortable 90 points, sending 10 athletes to the Rural Provincials in Selkirk. Teacher Steve Deighton has coached the track team for the duration of their dynasty. He has developed some insights into what motivates the young athletes. "Prestige, persuasion, yellingÉ are all potential motivators for students. But I feel success is probably the best one," said Deighton in the midst of preparing for the Rural Provincials. "When an athlete experiences success, there is a drive to keep working, a feeling of empowerment, and a boost to their self esteem and confidence. "The relationship between goal setting, working hard, and the feeling success brings, can't be underestimated," he continued. "That's what life is about. Accolades The track and field team has been honoured with the accolades of students, staff, and community members. Their banners are prominently displayed in the gymnasium and their pictures grace trophy cases. However, what has made these accomplishments even sweeter is that they occurred and continue to during a period of tough economic times. With the loss of the town's main employer, the school has lost a large portion of the student body. In spite of that, Deighton's team has come through every year. "The tradition has been set," Deighton noted. "The veteran students know the feeling of success and want to experience it again, and from there, the overall attitude of the team develops towards doing whatever it takes to achieve it." Stood Out Asked about the athletes who stood out over his tenure, Deighton noted several. "Ashton Lief and Joel Jackson for distance running, Lem Randall for discus, Jaimee Deduke for running events, Wylee Longmiur for hurdles and sprinting, and Grant Walker for all throwing events," he said. "These athletes stand out, not only for excellence in their respective events, but these are the ones who come back to help coach, lead the team, take over the warm-ups and motivate the students." See 'Athletes' P.# Con't from P.# Looking back on the team's zone appearances, Deighton cited some memorable moments. For the first, he looked no further than this year's championship. "This year in the JV girls Distance Medley, our lead runner, Jaimee Deduke, was positioned high on the outside," he said. "After the gun, she jumped out past the field. She had a five stride lead after only ten strides. We all watched in amazement, worrying that her pace was way too fast. But Jaimee just kept pushing and extended her lead to over 200 metres by the end of the 800. It was the best 800-metre run I have ever seen, at the Olympics or anywhere, period." The coach also recalled Ashton Lief lapping the entire field of girls in the 3,000 Ð twice, and some girls three times. This was a feat she repeated three years in a row. He added how special it was to watch Wylee Longmiur, who had never taken part in any sport before, finish seventh in the province in his first year of running hurdles. Deighton admits it isn't often that an educator receives thanks from a student or parent for making a child work hard, all the time. "However," he says, "our continued success with track reassures me that I am doing something right. "I don't have to wonder if it's working, I can see it in their actions, attitudes, and accomplishments. For me, the most reassuring part of the whole thing is that our victories are not isolated events; this has happened five years in a row."
