WESTLOCK — St. Mary School senior high track and field athletes are the 2024 1A North Central Zone champions, and captured the school’s first ever Zones banner May 22.
A total of 21 track and field athletes in Grades 10 -12 competed in the Alberta School’s Athletic Association (ASAA) 1A North Central Zone Track and Field championships, May 22 in Edmonton. Several of them are now preparing for the provincial championships, also in Edmonton June 7-8.
“Out of all those schools in our zone we came out on top. We’re very proud of our students,” said St. Mary School (SMS) athletic director Ty Snell, noting the larger number of participants this year.
“We went from having two athletes two years ago to 12 last year, and this year we were up to 21,” he said. “So we’re very proud of all our kids for their participation and efforts.”
Students competed in several events, including running categories, jumps and throw categories.
“We had two relay teams — a junior girls relay team and also a senior boys relay team who won their event,” said Snell, adding students who finished in the top two will move onto provincials.
Snell noted several factors behind the school’s success in track and field this spring, including a greater interest in the sport and efforts from junior high physical education teachers, helping students get involved in outdoor activities.
“I think the success that we had last year showed a lot of kids that track and field is a sport that you can go and compete in and I think the (student) leaders on our team have been really good at encouraging other people to join as well,” said Snell.
“We have a lot of really strong junior high athletes that are coming up into senior high in the next couple of years, so we definitely hope to keep the momentum going.”
