2019 is Trish Reimer-Kealy’s 14th year as head coach of the girls track & field team at Becker.
Her coaching staff remains the same from years past with Daniel Rooney, Dustin Weege and Paul Schmidt splitiing duties with her.
“We tend to work girls and boys as one unit with each of the coaches taking specific groups,” she said. “This has been working well for us and I appreciate the work the other coaches do — they do a great job.”
Reimer-Kealy takes the hurdlers and distance runners while, Schmidt handles the high jump athletes and sprinters. Weege coaches the pole vaulters and horizontal jumpers and Rooney takes the throwers.
“Paul (Schmidt) and I usually work together on the relays,” Trish said.
Her junior high coaches are Rey Robinson and Madi Kealy and they work the junior high boys and girls together.
Trish said she is very excited her kids have new uniforms arriving soon!
“We have used the old ones for at least nine seasons between track and cross country, so it is a good time to get new ones.”
Reimer-Kealy said her outlook for the season is promising. The program has quite a few girls involved — 76 in grades seven-12 with 38 on the varsity.
“The last few years have been good for us in respect to how we did in the conference,” she says. “We were fortunate to be able to score points in all the events for most meets. However we lost quite a few point earners with last year's graduating class so we will have a few holes to fill this year.”
Trish says the team has some good potential and she is looking forward to see how the girls progress through the season.
In the Granite Ridge Conference, Becker’s toughest foe is Foley, who have an improved team and will be very tough this year.
“We have several returning girls who did well earning all conference awards or honorable mention last year,” said Reimer-Kealy.
Cassidy Pleoger and Keeley Holm in the sprints, Lexi Dehmer, Victoria Kolbinger Dani Nuest in the jumps along with Abby Maruska and Jessica Gruenes.
“These are just a few of the notable returnees we have,” she said.
As in every sport, the success and failures can weigh heavy on an athletes mind and Reimer-Kealy and her coaches think they have a good remedy.
“We try not to focus so much on 'failing', so to speak, but on improvement,” she says. “Competing not just against the competition but to challenge oneself to improve ones personal record (PR). To focus on the goal at the end of season not the 'now'.”
The coaches know too, how valuable it is to have encouraging families and parents of the student/athletes.
“We are fortunate to have some very supportive parents who know we have the kids’ (and team) best interest at heart,” she said. “The best thing parents can do is to be supportive of their kids and let their kids do the competing and us do the coaching. Luckily that is what we have here,”
Reimer-Kealy’s captains this year (chosen by team voting at the end of last season) are seniors Victoria Kolbinger, Abby Maruska, Alli Garding and junior Lexi Dehmer.
“Each of these girls has been with us for a number of years and brings something special to the team,” she says. “They have tried to include all the new kids in a positive way. Our team has a good mix of personalities and abilities. We look forward to a productive and fun season.
The team consists of: Natasha Berthiaume, Anna Briggs, Anika Dehmer, Lexi Dehmer, Callie Doucette, Madalyn Finney, Charlotte Fleck, Ali Garding, Alyssa Gruenes, Jessica Gruenes, Kayla Gruenes, Regan Hausmann, Arin Hendrickson, Keeley Holm, Alli Knute, Victoria Kolbinger, Olivia Lefebvre, Emma Lemperes, Elizabeth Mackedanz, Abby Maruska, Tessa Maruska, Paige Maunu, Madison McDonald, Abby Nelson, Katelyn Nielsen, Dani Nuest, Morgan Peterson, Marissa Pettit, Cassidy Pleoger, Cienna Pleoger, Madison Pleoger, Lexi Rose, Abigail Sanderson, Grace Schendel, Skylar Schug, Whitney Schug, Maksenie Scott, Isabel Vogel and Sarah Woelfel.
