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Bella Coola athletes shine at regional and local track meets

Several qualified for the Provincial Championships in Langley June 8/9

Students in the Bella Coola Valley continue to make strides as track and field athletes with many qualifying for provincials this year.

In May, the Sir Alexander Mackenzie School team attended the North District Zones in Prince George.

The provincials are in Langley June 8 and 9.

They attended the Sub-Zero meet May 6 and 7 in Prince George, which is a tune-up track meet then returned for the North Central District Zone Championships on May 24 and 25, which had to be postponed a week due to the wildfire smoke conditions.

“We got all the way to Quesnel on the way to Prince George and had to turn around,” said SAMS Grizzlies track coach Alex Boileau. “That was kind of interesting, but it built character in the team who did exceptionally well at zones.”

Qualifying for provincials are:

Nathaniel Schooner - racewalk and the 4 x 100 as an alternate.

Nathaniel set the school record for steeplechase in the junior category.

Owen Renehan - racewalk

Morgan Boileau - 1500m, 1500m, steeplechase and 3000m

Morgan broke the record at the district meet for the 800m and the 1500m.

Chandry Evans- 4 x 100, discus and shot put

Kyle Doiron- 4 x 100, high jump and triple jump

Kyle Fehr - shot put

Morgan Hedges - javelin.

Hedges competed in all the throwing events, he said.

Danny Legault - javelin, discus 4 x 100

Danny broke a record at the Sub-Zero meet for discus in the junior category.

Tristen Sellars - 4 x 100, 2000m and steeplechase, which he also broke the school record for the senior category.

Ryder Provost - AWD 100, 400, shot put and long jump

Thompson Beloin - 4 x 100 (alternate), 100m and hurdles

There was also a district track meet on May 11 and 12 hosted by SAMS and School District 49 with students from Bella Coola Valley schools and the Bella Bella Community school participating.

Boileau said he wanted to give a shout out to the members of the Nusatsum Elementary School Junior Development Team are: Noah DeGrace, Anders DeGrace, Grace McCartney, Damien Legaut, Ben Dishkin, Meadow Michalchuk, Monty Michalchuk, Cierra Rurka, Jenna Neidrauer, Zaelia Snow, William McCartney, Olin Hodgson, Mathias Conley, Eric Boileau, Kara McIlwain, Zoe Robson, Shayda Beloin, Della Saunders, Hixon Mack, Jinger Neidrauer and Kai Renehan.

“They are Grades 5, 6, 7, and some of them will be in Grade 8 at SAMS next year,” Boileau said.

The SAMS (Sir Alexander Mackenzie School) Grizzlies track team members who attended the zones and sub-zero zones were: Shaylen Moody, Morgan Boileau, Chandry George-Evans, Presley Nelson, Alaina Legault, Isla Hodgson, Thompson Beloin, Danny Legault, Nathaniel Schooner, Declan Ratcliff, Eli Hall, William Dishkin, Owen Renehan, Thompson Beloin, Ryder Provost, Kyle Doiron, Kyle Fehr, Morgan Hedges, Tristen Sellars and Markus Hembruff.

Isla wons some third at zones in the 400m and the triple jump, and won firsts at the district meet for the 100m, 200m, 400 m, triple jump and long jump.

Ryder said he likes running events because they are fun, while Nathaniel likes the atmosphere at track meets and being there with students from other schools.

“I really like meeting other students,” Nathaniel said.

The track team said it would like to thank the following people and organizations for their support at track meets and volunteering at school practices. School District 49, Kerry Boileau (track team coordinator),Steve Hodgson (SAMS assistant Coach), Jonas Anderson (NES track training help) Meredith McIlwain (co-director district track meet and NES track training), Alex Boileau (co-director district track meet, SAMS track team coach) Jason Gunderson and Leonard Kozak (SD49 bus support), Annika and Caroline Granander, Chantal St-Pierre, Steve Dishkin, Barry Squires, Kristina Knudsen, Adelle Robson, Sony Legault, Brad Beloin, Skye Newkirk (BCE),Veronica Carrier, Natasha Provost and Kirsten Schieck.

“Thank you to all the schools and track participants in the Bella Coola Valley, Bella Bella Community School, and Bella Coola Home-school for participating in the district track meet as well as to all the coaches, parents and guardians and volunteers who helped out at practices,” Boileau said.

“Special thanks to Kristina Knudsen, CJ Dixon and Aiden Hindley for results for the district track meet and Andrea Dunnett as well as Paige Wheatley for organizing a successful track meet concession. A massive thank you to Buddy Thatcher for his hard work preparing the SAMS track, the long jump pits and lining the track.”

Morgan Boileau thanked the adults who helped out as well.

“There were at least five adults at every practice, helping run events for us, and supporting us with our school district,” she said.

“It was really great.”



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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