Despite logistical training difficulties and an overall drop in track and field participation at Squamish's secondary schools, those dedicated Howe Sound and Don Ross athletes who did participate in last week's North Shore championships at Vancouver's Swangaard Stadium made a big impact.
Squamish can now boast four multi-event North Shore champions in Kenny Kyle, Tiffany Sprenkels, Jacob Melville and Brendan Rosser, even though the schools do not even have the number of competitors necessary to train separately.
Howe Sound teachers Ryan Massey and Sue Pedersen have spearheaded a joint track program with the two high schools training together while the athletes still compete for their respective schools.
Kenny, a junior from Don Ross, won the marquee sprinting event - the 100 metres - as well as the long jump, and finished second in the triple jump, while Don Ross's Jacob Melville won both the 1500m and 3000m races in the Bantam category.
Howe Sound's Brendan Rosser also won the 1500m and 3000m and was second in the 800 in the senior category. These feats were only part of his contribution to the team, however, as he assisted Massey and Pedersen by helping coach the younger distance runners. Brendan was able to provide a vast amount of running experience for the younger runners, as he has run successfully all his life and trains with a respected club, the Norwesters, in Vancouver.
Tiffany Sprenkels represented Howe Sound magnificently, placing first in the junior long jump and triple jump. Don Ross's Frances Hoogenboom, (second in the shot put, and third in the discus), and Carlin Eppele (second in the hammer throw) as well as Howe Sound's Michelle Rosser (third in the 400m), and Jordan Janzen second in the shot put) also put in podium-worthy performances.
These athletes will now take their skills to either the B.C. Championships, or Vancouver and District Championships, depending on their age category.
All these performances added up to 15 medals from a combined 13 competitors from the two schools. Massey was modest in assessing the team's accomplishments, saying: "although we don't have many athletes involved, they are very competitive on the North Shore."
