The Becker boys and girls track teams enter 2025 with a wealth of talent that could translate once again into a championship season for the perennial powerhouses.  Girls coach Trish Reimer-Kealy (hurdles, distance and relays) and boys coach Paul Schmidt (high jump, sprints, relays) have a full complement of assistants helping this year, with Tony Miller (Horizontal jumps), Dustin Weege (shot and disc), Pat and Julie Woelfel (pole vault), Josh Reckelberg (Horizontal jumps, sprints), and Arlo Brower ( shot and disc) all adding important experience to the staff.

Boys Squad

Head Coach Paul Schmidt enters his 20th season with high expectations after his team finished in second place in last year’s section meet.

“We have a very solid core of individuals coming back this year off of last year’s section runner up team,” Schmidt said.

Carter Reckelberg, Owen Angell, Mitchell Soltau, and Hunter Youngdahl will serve as captains and will be joined by numerous other returning letter winners to give the Bulldogs an experienced team.  Parker Spindler, Tanner Felton, Evan Hubbard and Brandt Hemmelgarn all are returning after being part of the sixth place 4x800 finish in the 2024 state meet.  

“Tarver Schendzielos and Isiah Boyer should play big parts for our team in the sprints and horizontal jumps,” Schmidt added. “Dalton Weisz, Alex Adams, Andy Fisher and Clayton Hamacher will help add depth to a strong team.”

In the field events, returning lettermen Saul Kreft and Zac Halvorson  will look to improve even more after having nice seasons a year ago, while newcomers Triston Kowalkowski  and Alex Swanson (11) will lead a pack of team additions that will mean a very deep lineup.

“We hope to contend again for a section title and we are in a tough conference and have finished second to Cambridge and Monticello the past few years,” Schmidt said.  “There is a very good chance that we could compete for a state berth in the true team meet, something Becker hasn’t done since the late 1990’s.”

Schmidt identified team health as a top priority as his squad moves through the season, but with 32 varsity athletes the Bulldogs have some of their best depth in years.

Schmidt also noted that records could continue to fall this year, with Angell and Reckelberg continuing to improve despite already being at the top in several events in school history.

Girls Squad

The girls team returns several state tournament caliber performers from a year ago, giving Reimer-Kealy a competitive group of core athletes to build around.  This will be her  21st year coaching in Becker, with previous stops in Bemidji, Pipestone and Rockford.

“We have many possibilities for success this year and it will be fun to see it all play out,” Reimer-Kealy said.  “Our Mississippi 8 Conference is really competitive and always a challenge that sets us up for our section 5AA meet.” 

Top returning performers will include Kailey Thompson (100 H, 300H) Ella Tschida (shot put), and a pair of really good relay teams among many others.  The 4x800 relay team will see veterans Katelyn Brower, Andie Changamire, and Adele Changamire return, while the 4x100 relay returns Josie Reckelberg, Raelee Lyon and Salayna Allen. The latter group made up three-fourths of the school record 4x100 group from a year ago. 

Captains for the girls team this year are Abby Atwood, Bella Kuschel, and Kailey Thompson.

Reimer-Kealy’s Hall of Fame resume makes it likely that at least a few of the newcomers to the varsity will blossom and perform like veterans under her tutelage.  Which specific athletes will have breakout seasons is yet to be determined, but there is a large number of possibilities.

“Our numbers are really good this year with 43 girls on the High School team and a large group signed up for the Middle School program,” Reimer-Kealy said.

In addition to her squad’s work ethic and high level experience, the coach also stressed the cohesiveness of the staff as a major factor for the recent success.

“It’s great to work with the coaches that we have, as we combine forces for both girls and boys and are able to help out one another in positive ways,” Reimer-Kealy said.  “Our volunteers are essential and we appreciate everyone.”