Track is back

Times Reporter   

 

The Holy Cross Collegiate track and field team is surging with Grade 7’s, but roughly 40 junior high and senior high students will be competing at county finals on May 21.

“Track and field is a tough one. With individual sports, the kids don’t have anybody to hide behind or help them out,” coach John Reinhart said.  “Hopefully we get them to find where they’re good at. That’s the biggest thing – if they want to do a certain event, maybe they can try another with a better opportunity to be successful. That’s the good thing about track, there are so many to choose from.”

Reinhart has students in throwing, jumps, hurdles, long distance, and sprints. Students can compete in up to four events, along with relay. Though the junior high can only go as high as zones, high school students can compete at provincials.

“Our best chance for provincials might be Chris O’Leary, just because he’s a Grade 11, but a young one, so he competes as a junior. Sometimes that’s an advantage, and sometimes a disadvantage,” Reinhart said.

O’Leary finished fourth in the province for discus last year. For some of the rookies, O’Leary will lead by example for the different rules they need to learn.

“For the most part we’re looking at encouragement to improve. A lot of these kids, they haven’t done these types of events before. For them, it’ll be their first major competition,” Reinhart said. “If you’re not fast, maybe you can run long distances. Or, if you’re a bigger person, maybe you can throw. Hopefully we can have some success.”

Holy Cross is into its third week of practice, though the first few were too cold, Reinhart said. The team plans on practicing twice a week before counties, and zones on May 28.