Cross-country numbers consistent

Posted on: Staff Writer

 Aryssah Stankevitsch     

Times Reporter   
 
Paul Sonsteby’s cross-country team at Strathmore High School (SHS) lost many seniors to graduation, but also has lots of returning runners to this year’s squad.
“Junior boys and intermediate boys are our biggest this year, but we have some very strong female runners,” said Sonsteby. “We have someone in every category which always makes me happy.”
For the past five years, the team has averaged around 20 members – similar this year as well.
“A lot of that is the Mertz influence at the junior high, Kevin’s got a good program going,” Sonsteby said. “We’ve been sort of coordinating, and consistently getting good runners. We’ve been sending anywhere between four and six to provincials since I’ve been coaching – I think that generates some interest too.”
Two of his runners have returned from provincials last year; on Sept. 13, the team raced in Red Deer, last year’s provincial course.
“In the next couple of weeks, there’s the Foothill regional event, and then about the first week of October will be zones in Canmore,” Sonsteby said.
Provincials are set for Oct. 19 in Drayton Valley. In practice, Sonsteby likes to do mixes of sprints and hills.
“We change it up, like last week we did a hill run,” he said. “Your average run at practice is anywhere from 3-7 km, but a lot of the times they do their distances.”
The distances for races are: 3 km for Grade 10 and 11 girls, 4 km for Grade 12 girls and Grade 10 boys, 5 km for Grade 11 boys, and 6 km for Grade 12 boys.
“A lot of these guys are returning from our track team last year,” Sonsteby said. “I got a lot of kids from my cross-country team show up for my long distance running team, which is nice, we bookend the school year with them.”
Sonsteby’s fellow teacher Jerry Flaws also assists with practices, and even runs the routes with the students.
“We’re co-coaching it I guess, I’ve been coaching it by myself for a few years and Flaws just wanted to be part of it,” Sonsteby said. “Having your athletic director want to help you out is great.”