Mitch Calvert
A contingent of 14 Muskie athletes are in Thunder Bay today and tomorrow for the NWOSSAA track and field meet.
The runners have been training throughout the winter, and despite poor weather that has limited practice opportunities this spring, co-coach John Dutton has high hopes for good performances this week.
“Some of these kids have been running every Monday morning at 6 a.m. [through the winter],” Dutton noted. “Thursday after school has been boot camp, and it’s been ongoing since September, and some kids never miss.
“Running is a tough sport in the winter time, but they’ve stuck it out and I think that’s why we’re stronger this year,” he added.
“They aren’t taking the winter off and coming back to it in the spring.”
Josh Strain put the Muskie track team on the map last year with a fifth-place finish in the high jump at the all-Ontarios in Hamilton, coupled with a 16th-place showing in the triple jump and a 20th-place finish in the long jump.
Strain’s best high jump was 1.80 metres before falling short at 1.85 metres, but what was most impressive was the fact he did it without proper practice leading up to OFSAA.
“We got high jump standards now, and Josh has actually gotten to jump before getting out there [to NWOSSAA],” Dutton enthused.
“Our starting blocks arrived [last] week, so we’ve actually been able to use those for our sprinters, so things have been going really good.”
Strain first raised some eyebrows at last year’s NWOSSAA meet, placing in the top two in all three of his events, including a first-place finish in the triple jump.
He also picked up the high points trophy in the junior boys’ age bracket there, but will be making the jump to the senior level this season.
That hasn’t discouraged him from hopes of duplicating—or improving on—last year’s success.
“I’m going to be competing against guys my age and a year older this year, so it’s going to be tougher competition,” Strain admitted. “But now that I actually get to practice, I think I can do just as good as last year.”
Strain said the fact he’s had an opportunity to work on his technique in all three events should help him reach new heights.
“On the second day of practice, I beat my personal best from OFSAA last year by two centimetres, but once I get on a track with spikes instead of my running shoes, it should go higher,” he noted.
“It’s a good start and we’ll keep going from here.”
Strain again is practising his long jump and triple jump behind St. Francis School—just without the luxury of measurements.
“I haven’t gotten any measurements, but just judging based on last year, I think I’m doing better there, too,” he added.
Strain, who is a multi-sport athlete, likes the challenge this individual sport presents.
“This is just taking the athleticism from basketball and using it,” he explained. “I’m more athletic than skilled at basketball, so this takes the athletic running and jumping part of basketball and focuses on that.”
The Muskie track program has grown gradually since its inception in 2004, but still has some more room to expand.
“We’re hoping to get some work done on the track [outside Fort High], too, but things are coming along,” Dutton said.
“I think we have a much stronger team than we had last year, with more happening on the sprint end this year.
“We’re doing time trial stuff to give them base times so they have goals to reach when they get to Thunder Bay,” Dutton added.
Besides Strain, the Muskie athletes slated to attend the
NWOSSAA meet include Cassandra Spade (1,500m and 3,000m), Caitlin Fitzgerald (1,500m and 3,000m), Hailey O’Donnell (400m, 800m, and 1,500m), Marina Jewell (200m, 400m, and 800m), Jennifer Spence (200m and 400m), Shenice McKelvie (100m and 200m), and Deanna Saunders (800m, 1,500m, and 3,000m).
Rounding out the contingent are Brett Jewell (200m, 400m. and 800m), Jake Smith (100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x400m relay), Britton Green (200m, 800m, 3,000m, and 4x400m), Dan Brunetta (800m, 1,500m, shotput, and 4x400m), Jake McTavish (1,500m, 3,000m, and 4x400m), and Tyler Abma (100m and shotput).
The all-Ontarios are slated June 4-6 in Toronto.
