TRACK & FIELD:
Last weekend was the final Track & Field meet of the season. Over 70 Tigers descended upon Clement Track and the Collier Throws Centre at Minoru Park, Richmond. The BC Elementary Championships stands as one of the oldest and biggest elementary track meetings in BC. Starting on the afternoon of Friday, May 27, and continuing through to Sunday, May 29, the Tigers had the opportunity to pursue many different events and relays. As expected, the Tigers were fierce in their pursuit of personal bests. Many, many PBs were recorded from Grade 3 all the way through Grade 7.
All the efforts put forward also resulted in many ribbons, medals, school records, proud parents, and super proud coaches. On the individual front, we have a massive pile of ribbons and medals to hand out at the DeSpiking. We also had three new school records set. Jaime A. (Grade 7) was once again dominant on the track. She pursued, and once again broke, her own school record in the 800m (2:30.27), and she then set a new school record in the 300m (44.60). Jamie E. (Grade 7) is also the proud owner of a new school record as she smashed the discus record (24.25m). Congratulations to those two for raising the bar for our next wave of Tigers. On a team front, the YHS Tigers finished 3rd overall in the girls team category. A remarkable achievement for our small school.
Finally, a huge thank you to our coaches. Without the time, dedication and passion, this amazing program and opportunity would not exist. Please be sure to pass on your thanks to the following teachers: Ms. Marcotte, Ms. Murray, Ms. Kanavos, Ms. Ling, Ms. Abbott, Ms. Pearkes, Ms. Trinder, Ms. Scrivens, and Mr. Lee.
Our program is also very grateful for the continued support from our student coaches. This year we were very fortunate to have the following students give back to our program: Sophie (Grade 12), Sena (Grade 10), Kayla (Grade 8), Isabelle (Grade 8), and Kaya (Grade 8).
A Note about Track & Field:
The York House School Elementary Track & Field program carries a long and distinguished history. Started by Becky Willis in the early ‘70s, our program aims to give our students opportunities to pursue the benefits of track and field. Over the years, we have won many team championships, and our school records are nothing short of remarkable. Yet, we do not use competitions to measure the success of our program, and competitions are not the entire experience.
Running, jumping, and throwing are the building blocks of athleticism, and it is our coaches and consistent practices that continuously support our students as they build themselves and their abilities to new levels. It is important to remember that while competitions provide a test, they do not provide the whole experience. In fact, not every student is ready for every competition. Each competition comes with its own set of criteria or standards. For example, the BCEC meet sets quite high standards for the competitors, and if you do not make the distance/height, they will not measure your performance. To the students and parents who understand and support the notion of pursuing a personal best over a ribbon, of working through a process for a sustained time, and putting their best foot forward for themselves and their teammates, I want to say THANK YOU. Our program would not have the continued success it has without you!
ULTIMATE:
Our Grade 6/7 Ultimate team competed in SabreFest last Friday, May 27. This all-day event is hosted by the Stratford Hall Sabres, and it included both independent and public school teams. The Tigers played very well and finished in 4th position. The team has improved a lot over the course of the season. Coaches Anson Lit and Saralyn Dyck were driving forces behind the amazing play of our team. A huge THANK YOU to those two for all of their time and dedication. We must also thank Julia (Grade 11) for her support and coaching.