At just 14-years-old, Bonnyville's Alese Sartain is already making a name for herself as an athlete.
Earlier this month, Sartain was recognized as one of the top in the province among 14 to 26-year-olds at this year's RBC Training Ground.
The competition tests athletes' overall abilities, judging them on their speed, power, strength, and endurance, to see who has what it takes to one day be an Olympian. Out of around 400 to 480 participants at four qualifying events in Edmonton, Lethbridge, Okotoks, and Grande Prairie – Sartain competed in Edmonton – she was chosen as one of the top 100 athletes who will be moving on to the regional finals in Calgary May 6.
“I was actually on my way to track practice when I found out. I was really shocked because that's a big achievement,” said Sartain.
“I think I was more excited than her,” said mom Amanda Shideler. “I was pretty pumped. When it's 14 to 26-year-olds, and she's right at that younger mark, for her to move on out of all those kids is pretty special.”
A student at Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS), Sartain has always been involved with sports including basketball, football, and previously soccer. It wasn't until last fall that she recently joined the local track and field team, the Lakeland Yellowjackets, in the 60-metre, 200-metre, and long jump events.
Knowing the level of competition she was up against at the RBC Training Ground, Sartain noted she upped her training heading into the Edmonton qualifier.
In the speed event, athletes were marked on their 10-metre, 20-metre, 30-metre, and 40-metre dash. To measure lower body power, competitors were judged on their vertical jump. To test their strength there was an isometric pull, and the fourth event measured an athlete's endurance through the classic ‘beep test'.
“The worst one was the beep test, but it was all fun, I enjoyed every one of them,” said Sartain. “It helped with my understanding of track and what I need to work on. I need to improve on a lot of things, mostly endurance and strength.”
Competitors were recorded on each event, with their times and distances falling into a predetermined category of poor, below average, average, above average, and excellent.
With a 55-centimetre vertical jump, Sartain was above average for power. The benchmark for ‘excellent' in the 30-metre sprint, which was run evaluator primarily looked at, was 4.5 seconds. Sartain completed it in 4.28 seconds.
The beep test for endurance was measured in levels, with Sartain getting a 7.1, just below the ‘above average' mark. In the strength category, evaluated by the isometric pull, she achieved 91-kilograms.
“I was very pleased. It was a new thing for me, I know what I have to work on now so that's what I'll be working on to do better next year and beat all of my times and results.”
The RBC Training Ground is held in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic. From the up to 100 athletes at each of the five regional finals, the top five from across the country will be chosen to travel to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. The trip will be similar to the familiarization trips taken by Canada's Olympians.
It's a goal that Sartain already has her sights set on, hoping to be an Olympic athlete in the 100-metre and 200-metre track events.
“I'm nervous and excited. As much as I want to be in the top five, I have realized that I'm still very young and have a lot of work ahead of me,” said Sartain.
Over the coming weeks she'll be preparing for the Calgary finals, training two-days per week with the track team and three times a week at the C2 gym.
Even if she doesn't make the top five in the country, there's still the chance Sartain will be able to further her athletic abilities through the RBC Training Ground. Up to 40 athletes will receive additional assistance such as funding, resources, coaching and/or mentorship through the Canadian Olympic Foundation and RBC.
