The Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) held their 2nd Annual Showcase track and field meet in an indoor location at the Gallagher Centre on Friday.
The meet worked to bring close to 1,000 of both GSSD staff and students out of their usual classroom setting and brought them to the Flexihall race track for an entire afternoon.
The meet went well into the night.
Staff members of the school Board worked to put it all together and most didn't get done until late at night.
David Baron, a former school teacher who remains heavily involved with the Board, told the paper that it's one of those things that no matter how much it all seems like way too much work as they get ready to host hundreds upon hundreds of kids as young as Gr. 4, it's something that the GSSD very much takes pride in.
"We put lots of time in," says Baron, almost as if the answer goes without saying. It pretty much does go without saying, but he went on to explain how rewarding its been both this year and last when he sees so many of the younger kids getting involved and the help of parents doesn't go un-noticed.
"It's really gratifying when you see parents getting involved."
The day was a far cry from the normal day-to-day timetable of most teachers and the best part of the track and field meets held both last Friday and the Standards held two weeks earlier is that it allows for time to be spent in a more relaxed atmosphere, something that usually works very well, Baron adds.
"It's a good thing too, when they see you in a different level."
For most of the participants, this track meet may be the only athletic activity some of them get to see, aside from the minor hockey system which recently concluded with the banquet a couple of weeks back.
"For a lot of them, it's their first athletic experience. A lot of the kids had fun," he closed.Mark Schendel, MC Knoll teacher, performed the emcee duties that afternoon/evening and said he was pleased with how smoothly everything.
"They all like to throw, run and jump. The GSSD takes pride in this."
Results from the local area schools that participated in the meet are listed below, by event, name, school and time/distance: Girls 600-metre run: Kelsey Haczkewicz, MC Knoll, 2:15:28; 3-Sierra Cook, MC Knoll, 2:18:08.Boys 600-metre run: (3) Brett Guenther, Columbia, 2:10:20. Girls 600-metre run (Gr. 6 girls): (2) Jessica Lutz, Yorkdale, 2:13:39; (4) Hunter Frankfurt, MC Knoll, 2:21:75; (5) Tamara Ulmer, MC Knoll, 2:23:53.
Boys 600-metre run (Gr. 6 boys): (2) TJ McBride, Columbia, 2:07:12. Boys shot put (Gr. 6 boys): (1) Caleb Bymak, Columbia, 9.35 m. Girls long jump (Gr. 4 girls) (4) Jessica Gascho, MC Knoll, 2.68 m.Boys long jump (Gr. 4 boys) 2-Dreyden Walbauer, Columbia, 3.23 m. Girls long jump Gr. 5 girls: (1) Hannah Herman, Yorkdale, 3.27 m.
Boys long jump (Gr. 5 boys):(1) Devon Frounfelter, Yorkdale, 3.23 m; (3)Dylan Sharp, Yorkdale, 3.05 m.
Boys long jump (Gr. 6 boys) 2-Collin Reviczky, Dr. Brass Elementary, 3.62-m; (3) Caleb Bymak, Columbia School, 3.58-m. Girls high jump (Gr. 5 girls)
3-Jennifer Haczkewicz, MC Knoll, 1.10-m.Boys high jump (Gr. 5 boys) 2-Ryan Nussbaumer, Columbia School, 1.20-m; (3) Madison Garry, Yorkdale School, 1.20-m.
Girls 600 metre run (Gr. 5 girls): (1) Kelsey Haczkewicz, MC Knoll, 2:15:28; (3) Sierra Cook, MC Knoll, 2:18:08.
Girls 50-metre dash (Gr. 4 girls)3-Jayden Jarvis, MC Knoll, 8.48 preliminaries, 8.22 finals; (4) Sidney Shyiak, MC Knoll, 8.46 preliminaries, 8.45 finals.
Girls 50-metre dash (Gr. 5 girls): 3-Hannah Herman, Yorkdale Central, 8.25 preliminaries, 7.86 finals. Boys 50-metre dash (Gr. 5 boys): Devon Frounfelter, Yorkdale Central, 7.80 preliminaries, 7.51 finals; (3) Ryan Nussbaumer, Columbia, 8.02 preliminaries, 7.95 finals.Girls 50-metre dash (Gr. 6 girls)
1-Jessica Lutz, Yorkdale Central, 7.41 preliminaries, 7.38 finals.Boys 600-metre run (Gr. 4 boys)1-Jordan Repsch, MC Knoll, 2:20:29; (3) Matthew Mandziuk, MC Knoll, 2:28:10.
Boys shot put (Gr. 4 boys) 3-Montoya Wapash, Dr. Brass Elementary, 6.61 m.
Schendel told the paper in conclusion that the meet really fulfills the Board's main objective which is to provide some of the youngest students in the school with a fun, athletic and rewarding experience. The GSSD has been working wonders to try and 'extend' its physical education program by offering the students a chance to excel outside of the classroom.That, according to him, is key.
"As the Good Spirit School Division, one of our goals to to promote healthy living and (both) the Standards meet (from a couple of weeks ago) and the Showcase meet, proves that."He added that now that the athletic program seems to be developing as was hoped, Schendel said he is going to look into making some changes to the scoring system.
