HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-06-14, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2000.
Area siblings assets
to Madill track & field
F. E. Madill Secondary School's track and field team
has earned a reputation as one of the best. This season
it captured its ninth Huron-Perth title with 37 athletes
qualifying for WOSSA, and many of those going on to
the OFSSA meet.
From The Citizen readership area, three sets of sib
lings were among those whose abilities earned them a
spot at WOSSA.
Sjaan and Kristyn Gerth
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Though sports have often been
known to ereate friction between
competitors, involvement in the
activities has formed a bond of play
ful challenge and a close sibling rela
tionship for Sjaan and Kristyn Gerth
of Belgrave.
The F.E. Madill Secondary School
students have been participating in
various sporting endeavours since
early childhood.
Both credit their parents’ enthusi
asm and strong support for the suc
cess they have realized, particularly
throughout high school.
At 18, Sjaan is just completing his
final year and can proudly say he has
finally earned that OFSSA medal he
has been working towards. He took
silver in the 2000-metre steeplechase
event.
While he has ventured into basket
ball, cross-country running nordic
skiing and track and field over his
high school career, Sjaan says he
concentrated primarily on track this
season and found his greatest suc
cess to date.
At the Junior Nationals, he placed
second in the 3,000-metre steeple
chase and captured fourth at the
Junior PanAm Games trials.
With his achievement in steeple
chase, Sjaan is hoping to turn it into
a scholarship at Ohio State
University for this fall. While there,
he will study biochemistry and go
into pre-med.
“My next five years will be dedi
cated to school and running,” he
smiles.
In high school, Sjaan was also
involved in students’ council prefect
duties, peer tutoring and drama.
Younger sister Kristyn at 16, is just
as athletic as her brother, but in dif
ferent sports. Though she has partic
ipated in figure skating, dance, soc
cer, swimming and basketball and
excelled at discuss and shot put, she
puts volleyball at the top of her list.
Having been on an exchange to
France for three months, Kristyn had
very little time to train prior to the
Huron-Perth track meet this year.
She took first in both discuss and
shot put then moved onto WOSSA
where she captured a second in shot
and fourth in discus. At OFSSA
regionals, she placed eighth and I Oth
respectively.
Kristyn also says her success has
been due to the great coaching she
has received from various teachers at
Madill.
She made it to the final round of
selections for the Under-17 summer
games volleyball team.
Her hope is to continue her volley
ball career into university.
Admitting it was difficult at the
time, both say their parents’ insis
tence on activity instead of television
has paid off.
Though they do compete against
each other, they say it is all done in
fun and they have a great time.
“He says he is better at volleyball
than I am and 1 will not take that,”
laughs Kristyn.
However, she also admits she
could never keep up to her brother in
running events.
“We don’t know what we would
do without sports in our lives,” they
say.
The Gerths obviously enjoy their
sports and each other’s company.
“I will miss him when he is gone
next year. I guess there will have to
be some road trips,” says Kristyn.
Laura and Kerri Meier
Girls like competition
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
From the cold hard surface of the
ice rink to the asphalt track, the
Meier sisters of Belgrave not only
participate in a variety of sports, but
excel.
Fifteen-year-old Laura Meier takes
up figure skating and ice hockey in
the winter months after challenging
her endurance with cross-country
running in the fall.
While track and field events such
as triple jump, long jump, relay and
the 400-metre fill considerable time
during her school year at F. E. Madill
in Wingham, Meier also plays vol
leyball, soccer and acts as a life
guard.
When asked what drives her to
participate in so many activities, she
smiles and says, “Basically, they all
have some sort of challenge. I enjoy
the challenge.”
Most frequently a team player,
Meier says she prefers that'type of
sport as she likes being around peo
ple. The extensive travel involved
with some of her community teams,
she also has the opportunity to get to
know athletes from other areas.
Noting she began T-ball at the age
of three, she credits her parents with
tremendous support.
Younger sister Kerri, 14, agrees
with Laura’s praise of their parents,
saying how much^driving was done.
Kerri’s sporting interests are
slightly different from her sister’s
with her track events consisting of
the relay, 100 and 400-metre races,
cross-country running and participa
tion on the school .and Wingham
hockey team and Wingham and
Chepstow baseball squad.
Kerri easily credits both Laura and
older sister Heidi for her interests in
sports. It was Heidi's enjoyment of
hockey which encouraged Kerri to
the rink while Laura’s track efforts
brought her to the team.
Kern excelled this season, travel
ing to OFSSA with the school relay
team where they achieved a team
best time.
Both teens says they are involved
in sports for the enjoyment, an
opportunity to spend time with the
friends they have formed through the
activities.
Though close in age, the girls say
they do not compete against each
other, but say it is nice to have the
other there when they are members
of the same team.
Though neither see themselves
carry their sports participation
beyond high school, they are sure to
leave there mark while there.
Towering Garland brothers grow into athletie ability
Nathan and Andrew Garland
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
You could say that Nathan and Andrew Garland of
RR2, Bluevale grew into their athletic endeavours. At
6'6” and 6’5” respectively the brothers admit that it was
only in high school that they realized their potential.
Though Nathan, now in Grade 12, enjoyed some suc
cess at track and field while a student at Brussels Public
School, Andrew, a Grade 11 student says, “I didn’t
always do that well.”
Now, however, the pair has demonstrated excellence,
not just on the Madill track and field team but in other
sports as well. Andrew is a member of the rugby squad,
while both enjoy volleyball and basketball.
Actually, Andrew, who earned a spot at the OFSSA
qualifier in shot put, had to miss the event to play with
the basketball team.
Though both agree that track and field isn’t their pref
erence; Nathan likes volleyball, his younger brother
enjoys basketball and rugby most; they have demon
strated winning ways on the field.
Since coming to Madill, the Garland name has been
part of the school’s track and field team, but last year
was Andrew’s first time at OFSSA where he finished
eighth.
This year competing in shot put and discus, Nathan
finished sixth at WOSSA, while the third in shot put
qualified Andrew for the qualifiers. He also competed in
discus and javelin.
Nov/ all grown up and soon to begin considering life
after Madill will these be their track and field glory
days? “I’m not sure if we’re interested in this for later or
not,” says Andrew.
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