LAKELAND - On Oct. 5, a handful of schools and students across the Lakeland region participated in the Lakeland Schools Athletic Association (LSAA) annual cross-country race. Elementary to high school students who participated ran route that ranged from 1.5 to 3 km.
Lakeland Catholic School Division (LCSD), Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) and other participating school divisions had students run in the race.
The one-day event sees students practice for several weeks ahead of the event. This year saw roughly 700 elementary to high school students participate in a series of divisions, said Mitchell Gillis, Nelson Heights teacher and organizer.
“There is only one event every year and participating schools put together a team and they train on their own and meet for the championships,” unlike other sporting events throughout the year that run over a longer period of time.
Students compete in their respective age categories, which includes tyro, novice, intermediate, junior and senior categories.
“Most of the races had roughly between 80 to 120 participants,” he said, adding different age categories ran different distances.
“The longest race is 3 km and the shortest race is 1.5 km for the younger children,” explained Gillis.
The cross-country race had students run uphill, downhill and through various terrain.
“We wanted to have that cross-country feel where you have a variety of terrains as you go.”
In the individual age categories, students who placed first received a medal and the top 10 athletes in each division also received a ribbon acknowledging their accomplishments. The all-day event was a great opportunity to once again get students fully immersed in regular school sports.
“It’s wonderful to see kids back in sports, to be able to have large group gatherings and have the communities come together and have the athletes compete. It was really good,” said Gillis.
École Sainte-Catherine athletes
The first place winner in the Novice division was Lily Bakker from École Sainte-Catherine. She finished the 1.5 km race in under seven-and-a-half minutes against 70 kids in her age group. It was a special moment for the 11-year-old
“It makes me pretty proud to represent my school,” she said.
Bakker also competed in the LSAA Bike Mountain Bike Race last month in Cold Lake and again came in first place. She credits her success to staying motivated and enthusiastic.
The Lac La Biche school student is looking forward to spending time practicing her skills and competing in next year's cross-country race. Bakker’s efforts representing the school is a proud moment, said Princiapal Kathiana Marc.
“She represents the Wolves team of our school in a way that we are so proud of. And believe me, all credit goes to her. We, at the school, just give students opportunities like this to shine again and again.”
For 10-year-old Greyson Menard, who competed for the first time, it was an opportunity to learn, strategize and have fun.
“There was a lot of uphill and downhill sections... The first part you started on a 500-meter hill,” he described.
“Everybody sprinted up the hill and when they got to the top they had no more energy, but I walked… Later, I passed a bunch of kids,” he said, noting that pacing himself kept his endurance up.
Menard participated in the Tyro category finishing in 24th place with a time of 9:52 against a group of over 70 Lakeland peers.
For 11-year-old student Rowan Kumpula, the regional cross-country race is not only a fun way to challenge himself and apply his training, but a holiday from school too.
“The best part is having a day off school to compete in sports.”
Kumpula finished in 39th place with a time of 9:23 in the Novice category against a group of 98 Lakeland peers.
Top scores:
Intermediate (female): École Voyageur (Cold Lake) - Cecelia-Dawn Vardy with a time of 13:13
Intermediate (male): École des Beaux Lacs (Bonnyville) - Seth Bujold with a time of 11:39
Junior (female): Cold Lake Junior High - Camryn Hall with a time of 9:57
Junior (male): H.E. Bourgoin Middle School (Bonnyville) - Max Ference with a time of 8:38
Novice (female): École Sainte-Catherine (Lac La Biche) - Lily Bakker with a time of 7:25
Novice (male): École Holy Cross Elementary School (Cold Lake) - Hayes Humble 7:27
Senior (female): École Notre Dame (Bonnyville) - Gracie Ganser Senior with a time of 13:22
Senior (male): École des Beaux Lacs (Bonnyville) - Masen Fox with a time of 12:59
Tyro( female): Nelson Heights (Cold Lake) - Lily Arguin with a time of 08:19
Tyro (male): H.E. Bourgoin Middle School (Bonnyville) - Cooper Ference with a time of 07:32
Teams:
Tyro Girls - Nelson Heights School (Cold Lake); Tyro Boys - Dr. Bernard Brosseau School (Bonnyville)
Novice Girls - Nelson Heights School; Novice Boys - Nelson Heights School
Jr. Girls - Nelson Heights School; Jr. Boys - H.E. Bourgoin Middle School (Bonnyville)
Intermediate Girls - Cold Lake Junior High School; Intermediate Boys - Dr. Bernard Brosseau School (Bonnyville)
Sr. Girls - École Notre Dame High School (Bonnyville); Sr. Boys – Assumption Junior Senior High School (Cold Lake)
