The Lakeland Yellowjackets finished strong at the 2019 Alberta Indoor Games.
On Saturday, Feb. 16 and Sunday, Feb. 17, nine local athletes headed to Edmonton to see how they matched up on a provincial level.
Head coach Larry Godziuk noted this was the first time competing for some members.
“It’s different than school track and field. It’s kids you don’t know, so you don’t know how you’re going to do or fit in. But, I thought that the little kids had a good time and they got to meet new friends,” he detailed.
Although it wasn’t his first competition, eight-year-old Phoenix Baker enjoyed the experience. He participated in a number of events, including medicine ball throw, standing long jump, and the 60 and 50-metre dashes.
“I feel like I got really fast. I beat some eight-year-olds and I beat one nine-year-old,” he recalled.
A number of the Yellowjackets use these meets to see how far they’ve come in their training.
“Everybody likes to win, but there’s always somebody faster or who jumps higher or farther. A lot of the athletes are looking at what they did before, their personal bests, and we had several personal bests over the weekend, which is good,” Godziuk noted.
Ian Karba came in first overall in the U10 triathlon on Sunday, which included the 60-metre dash, medicine ball throw, and 400-metre. On Saturday, he came in second in the triathlon.
Duncan Critch took home gold in the U16 weight throwing and shot-put categories.
Alese Sartain landed in first for the U18 60-metre dash, came in third for long jump, and finished fourth in 300-metre.
While he didn’t beat any of his personal bests, Mason Sartain came away with gold in the U18 300-metre and U18 long jump. He also won bronze in the 60-metre dash.
“Overall, (my performance) could have been better, for sure. But, I’m still not completely disappointed with my results because of how I did in the 300 and 60(-metre),” he expressed.
He noted this was the most athletes he’s seen go to a competition with the Yellowjackets.
“Usually, we have about three if we’re lucky. It was actually pretty nice to have a lot of other people helping them out at their events.”
Sartain felt the pressure to be at his best with the eyes of his fellow Yellowjackets on him.
“It was comforting and also a little stressful, because having a bunch of people there to cheer you on is awesome and it helps keep your nerves down, but, at the same time, it puts a lot of stress on you because now you have all these people there you have to give those results to.”
Godziuk believes the club has been growing as more local youth are branching out into the sport.
“I see a lot of kids trying different things. We have a couple of girls from dance and some kids from gymnastics... Some of them find interest and hang around, while others move onto other activities after a few years, but, it’s nice to see more kids come into our little group.”
To make competitions more accessible, the Yellowjackets are hoping to invite other area track and field athletes to Bonnyville this year.
Godziuk said, “In the summer, we’re hoping to organize a few events at Walsh Field to bring some kids from Lloydminster and St. Paul. Then, they don’t have to travel three hours (to Edmonton) to see how they’re doing.”
