Trish Reimer-Kealy returns for her 12th year as the Becker Bulldog girls track & field coach and this year’s squad will see much of the same from previous years. Good quality instruction and solid performances from the athletes.
She gave a quick rundown on how the two teams utilize all the skills of all the coaches.
“Paul Schmidt is head boys coach and works with my high jumpers and sprinters. Josh Ihrke is girls assistant and works with my throwers and starts. Dustin Weege is a boys assistant, and he works with my pole vaulters and horizontal jumpers.
“I work with the hurdlers and distance kids,” she said. “Paul and I work together with the relays.”
Reimer-Kealy has 42 girls on her varsity roster, which she says is a good number, compared to previous years.
The coach has assigned senior Lexi Michels and junior Alli Hendrickson as team captains and leaders.
“They have both done a nice job for us in their running careers so far and are well liked and respected by their teammates,” Trish said. “They are also willing to help out whenever asked.”
Reimer-Kealy said Michels has had a bit of a rough start to the season so far this year as she suffered an injury on her first time trial and most recently has had her wisdom teeth removed.
Trish feels the Granite Ridge Conference has customarily been very balanced and things change year-to-year. Her team captured the conference title last year and the coaches and athletes both are looking to capture more of that magic they experienced in 2016.
“We would like to repeat as conference champions this year if at all possible but it will take a lot of work as all the other teams will be putting in a lot of effort towards that same goal,” Reimer-Kealy said.
“We lost some key seniors last year including state competitors Hannah Schmidt and Sam Angell, but we have some good returning talent as well and the kids have really got great attitudes this year.”
Trish says the team’s section (8AA) is the “large school level” and is always very challenging with teams such as Willmar, Alexandria, Moorhead and Brainerd competing, who have always been very good teams.
Caylah Chonsky is the team’s student manager.
“So far, this has been a really fun group of kids to work with,” said Reimer-Kealy of her 2017 squad.
“Lots of new faces and possibilities! Every year is a new adventure!”
Trish says she isn’t sure what she would be doing beside coaching if there ever came that day.
“Track and field has been a way of life for me since my sisters and I were little girls going to meets with our Dad,” she said. “I like to think he is there with me at each practice and meet.”
The girls kicked off their season with a home meet against Pillager and Pierz March 28, then hosted a Granite Ridge Conference indoor invitational last Saturday in the Fieldhouse.
