Heat blaze new trail with Foster

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

Kyle Foster is ready for a new challenge.
The Strathmore product recently made the annual trip from his hometown to the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan (UBCO) Campus in Kelowna for his fourth year of post-secondary education.
Foster is also a cross-country runner and is excited to be part of the UBCO Heat’s new journey, as they make the jump to the top collegiate sports league in Canada.
Previously, the Heat competed in the Pacific Western Athletic Association division of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). This year, the cross-country team will join the basketball, volleyball and soccer programs at the USPORTS level, as they will now compete against the biggest athletic programs across Canada.
“I’m a little nervous about making the jump up. The CCAA is kind of the second tier of athletics in the country, whereas USPORTS is home to the top tier of athletics in Canada,” said Foster, a 2015 Strathmore High School graduate. “I’m proud to say that I am on a USPORTS roster; I think it’s a pretty good accomplishment and proves that I have the athletic ability to go up against the top guys in the country.”
Foster has his work cut out for him this year as he heads into a deeper and more talented pool of runners, along with running greater distances.
Two years ago, at the CCAA nationals in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Foster was part of the Heat squad that finished fourth. Foster was second on the team with a 24:03 run in the eight-kilometre (km) distance.
At USPORTS, races are typically run at distances of 10 km and at much faster paces.
Last year, Yves Sikubwabo of the Université Laval took the national title in the 10 km with a time of 31:15, well ahead of the pace Foster can currently clock in at.
“I definitely think I’m a better sprinter than a long-distance runner,” said Foster. “I do OK with the longer runs, but I’m still around the 37-minute mark.”
Foster is one of 16 runners on the team and found himself to be one of the veterans of the squad when training camp broke earlier this week. He also has a great chance to be named captain of the team by his peers, according to Heat Head Coach John Machuga.
“Kyle is a guy who brings the experience of running at a couple big-time races in the past, knows the team and continues to get better each year,” said Machuga. “He will be a big player for us this year in the jump up to USPORTS.”
Not surprisingly, UBCO offers one of the nicest tracks for the runners to train at in the USPORTS.
Nestled slightly north of Okanagan Lake, the Heat will use a few trails that wind in and around campus, along hills and valleys.
The Heat will be ranked nationally this season in the Canada West division, alongside powerhouse teams like the University of Calgary, the University of Victoria and Trinity Western University.
Foster and his new teammates will get their first look at the new competition Sept. 29, when the Heat host the inaugural race as members of the USPORTS community at Mission Creek Park in Kelowna.
“I can’t think of a better way to start off our time in USPORTS than on a course we are familiar with,” said Foster, an engineering student.
Foster’s eligibility and that of the rest of his returning teammates from the CCAA days directly transfers over into the USPORTS, meaning he has three years to complete two more seasons of running. This shouldn’t be a problem, as he dialed his course load back to six classes per semester to ensure his grades don’t take a hit with the increased demand in athletics.
He has come a long way as a hockey player who played other sports such as rugby, football and track as a way of staying in shape, but he loves the journey he is on now and is looking forward to what lies ahead this season.