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Looking back

Dez Loreen
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, June 19, 2008

INUVIK - Coach April Crabb is proud of her athletes and their recent performance in Hay River.

The Samuel Hearne track and field team recently returned from the NWT Track and Field Championships held in Hay River June 4 to 6.

NNSL Photo/Graphic

Connor McLeod takes flight in the long jump event at the NWT Track and Field Championships in Hay River earlier this month. The Samuel Hearne track team had prepared several months for the meet with running exercises and field events. - Natalie Dunleavy/NNSL photo

Crabb said the team was ready and well prepared for the challenge.

"Not everyone placed or got medals, but we all had fun," she said.

"You don't need to be a high class athlete to come out, that is what training is for."

To prepare, the team started a running club in February that was coached by volunteers.

"We ran the running club twice a week," she said.

During the running practices students would spend one session working on long distance running and endurance-building, and the other on enhancing the sprinting skills of the participating students.

"We worked them hard to prepare their sprinting legs," Crabb said.

After March break, when the students were back from the Super Soccer trip, Crabb had them work on their field skills.

"We did some practising for the field events as well, like the shot put, high jump and those events," she said.

It was at that time that Eric Church joined the volunteer coaches.

"He helped us with that training here at the school, and that is when we became a five-person effort," she said.

Crabb said it was good to see so much determination in the students who participated.

She added that there were a few students who had been on the trip and a part of the team in past years who accompanied the group.

"They really stepped up and helped to encourage the younger kids to do their best," she said.

"There were some students who had never come out before, so it was good to have that help and experience for them to learn from."

She said placing in the rankings is all fine and good, but her team put emphasis on having fun, which they did.

Crabb said the track meet was made even better with a few days of great weather for the outdoor event.