Head Coach Paul Schmidt returns for his 11th year as the Becker Bulldog boys track coach in 2017. Schmidt has high expectations for his team this year as he looks to have this year’s team defend their Granite Ridge Conference outdoor title.
“We have never gone into a season with a target on our back before and the other teams trying to figure their best way to beat us,” said Schmidt. “It is added pressure to our team and we need to respond with good sound practice and improvement, and then hope for some good fortune in the injury category.”
Schmidt says his other expectation is getting some individuals or a relay team down to the state tournament.
“Being a state competitor is an indescribable experience and we have the possibility of getting a few athletes down there if things fall our way,” he said.
When choosing captains and team leaders, Schmidt says he tries to cover all areas of events when making the choices.
“As our numbers have grown we try to have a captain for the throwers and field events which this year is Dawson Thom, who is a senior,” Schmidt said. “We have a captain for the sprinters and relays, who are senior Matt Davalos and junior Sydney Boros and we also have a distance runner captain who this year is junior Jonathan Novak.”
Schmidt says his team votes on these captains at last year’s end-of-the-season banquet.
“That way, some of the captains were able to organize captains practice and the ordering of shirts,” he said.
Schmidt currently has 44 boys vying for spots on the 9-12 squads. He says this is the highest number of athletes he has seen since he took the helm 11 years ago.
“Slowly, we have been growing over the years and our numbers have helped us to compete more as a team and not just as individuals,” he said. “Last year, we won seven meets including the first-ever outdoor conference championship for a Becker boys track team. That was a huge accomplishment for our program and the athletes that worked so hard all year.”
In the GRC, Becker’s toughest opponent will be Foley, who Schmidt and his staff keep an eye on throughout the season.
“They have a history of great sprinters and sprint relay teams,” said Schmidt. “We never count out Little Falls and Mora either, though because they continue to have really good distance runners and Little Falls has some good shot and discus individuals.”
Schmidt retains his coaching staff from previous years that include Dustin Weege and Josh Ihrke. He is grateful that he continues to have a hearty passion for the sport of track and field and teaching the youth of Becker how to be good athletes as well as good students.
“I still love coaching track and field,” Schmidt says. “I am blessed to be surrounded by knowledgeable coaches that work well together and we have really good athletes. Not only are they talented but more importantly they are good students and people. It makes it a pleasure to coach for the Becker boys track team.
The season kicked off last month with a meet against Pillager and Pierz in the Becker Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs also hosted a GRC meet hosting all teams from the conference (see separate story on these events).
