Keri Ewing, Haines High School’s new track and field coach, says he’ll take his athletes to a Sitka meet April 29-30.
Haines has skipped the meet in recent years, but Ewing said competition is valuable, especially considering the number of newcomers on his squad. “Anytime you can get extra meets in, it’s great practice, and for freshmen and rookies, it’s important to get that taste of competition.”
Ewing is a former collegiate runner and football player who previously coached high school track in Portland, Ore.
He said he’s encouraged by the attitude shown by the 16 athletes on the team so far and is hoping to add to the five girls who are out in order to create more relay teams. “I want kids to enjoy their time on the team. I’m pretty flexible. I understand other commitments when they come up. I’ll work with them for them to have a great experience.”
Twenty students participated in the sport last year, including eight who have graduated or transferred.
Besides returning seniors like Casey Bradford, Matthew Green, Autumn Gross, Bailey Stuart and Destinee Cowart, the team has newcomers, including juniors Jacob and Jordan Stigen.
Jacob joined the cross-country team last fall after running the 2015 Mount Ripinsky Run. Stigen said he was “pretty sore” after the grueling mountain climb, but he’s looking forward to track.
“So far, he looks like he can run anything,” said coach Ewing. “He’s also going to try the hurdles, but I think he can also be competitive in the mile.”
Jordan Stigen said she always has run the town loop – “I like staying in shape and being healthy” – so joining track wasn’t too big of a stretch. “I thought I’d give it a try. I like it so far (but) you definitely have to get used to it.”
She’s looking to compete in 100 and 200-meter races and the long jump.
Nattaphon “Ice” Wangyot said in her homeland of Thailand, running is the only sport. She said she trained with the military and “practically died” in the 800-meter run, but isn’t discouraged. She plans to enter the mile run, 100-meter dash and long jump.
In line with recent team history, Haines looks particularly strong in throwing events. Gross, Green, Bradford and Stuart all qualified for last year’s state championship in shot put or discus and assistant coaches Jim Stanford and Tyrell Horton have returned to help athletes in those events.
Bradford, who also runs the 200- and 400-meter races, said he wants to throw the discus 140 feet this year and take two seconds off his 52-second mark in the 400-meter run at last year’s state meet. “I’m definitely stronger than I was last year.”
Other students out for the sport include freshmen Kamakana Kanahele, Patrick Cunningham and Corbin Holm, sophomores Keegan Palmieri and Carl Tupou, junior Dylan Palmieri and seniors Zane Durr and Kai Hays.
Ewing said he’s looking forward to seeing how the team will do. “In throwing, we’ll be good. Casey, Carl, Zane, Jacob and Patrick will push the running events. It will be interesting, especially in the first meet.”
The season includes meets in Juneau May 6-7, Haines, May 13-14, regional championship in Juneau May 20-21 and state championship in Anchorage, May 27-28.