Track and Field Athletes head to Canadian Junior Championships

Seven members of Sarnia Athletics Southwest Track and Field Club have qualified to compete in the 2008 Canadian Junior Track and Field Championships in Abbottsford, British Columbia July 25-27^th.

 

Maggie Mullen who just finished competing at the Canadian Senior T& F event in Windsor will look to medal in javelin, shot put and discus. Maggie is an OFSSA Medalist and will attend Ohio State University in the fall on a Track and Field Scholarship. Maggie was a top 6 finisher in all 3 of her events at OFSAA Track and Field this year. She was also one of the top Sr. Girls Basketball players in the city last year at St. Patrick’s H.S.

 

Derek Drouin is the second St. Pat’s graduate heading to B.C. and will compete in the High Jump and 110m Hurdles. Derek is a 3 time OFSAA medalist, a member of Canada’s World Youth Team that competed in the Czech Republic in 2007 where he finished 10^th in High Jump. This is his 3^rd Jr. Nationals and will then prepare for his University career at Indiana where he has accepted a Track and Field Scholarship.

 

Matt Reddy of St. Christopher’s H.S. will be competing in the men’s 400m run. Matt, as of this article was still trying to qualify in the men’s 800m as well and has a very good chance of reaching the standard.. Matt has been both a member of the Track and Cross Country teams at St. Christopher’s where he has competed at OFSAA several times, most recently in the senior boy’s 400m this past season in Hamilton. Matt will attend Dalhousie University in the fall.

 

Emily King, a Northern H.S. graduate will head out to her 3rd Jr. Nationals and compete in Javelin. In 2007 at Nationals, she placed 13^th in a very strong field. This followed an exceptional showing at OFSAA Track and Field where she finished 7^th in the senior girls Javelin. Emily goes to every meet looking to improve her PB’s (personal bests) and to move up in the standings from previous competitions. Emily now attends Lambton College and continues as an active member of Sarnia Athletics Southwest.

 

Haley Cadwallader of S.C.I.T.S. will be in her second Jr. Nationals and looking to improve on last year’s 7^th place finish in the women’s 2000m Steeplechase. Haley is the 2008 OFSAA Gold Medalist in the senior girl’s 1500m steeplechase and was within 1 second of setting a Provincial High School record in Hamilton this year. Haley is entering her final year at S.C.I.T.S. and with another strong year she will surely attract interest from Universities south of the border.

 

Shaun Bisson of St. Clair H.S. will be entering his first Junior Nationals and is running the 3000m Steeplechase. Shaun was an OFSAA finalist in the senior boys steeplechase this year and finished 9^th in an extremely strong field. This race is one of the most physically demanding events that will take place during the competition and will be his first 3000m race as the high schools only run 2000m steeplechase races. Shaun is the only grade 11 member of the team and will return to St. Clair in the fall where he will run Cross Country.

 

Casey Garbaty of Northern H.S. will be entering the Javelin competition at Junior Nationals and he heads out west with a strong list of credentials. Casey was OFSAA Gold medalist in 2007 and he won silver in both 2005 and 2008. One of the strongest throwers in the province he has also represented Canada on the National level as a member of Team Canada at the Pan American Jr. Championships in Brazil in 2007. Casey will be a threat to medal in B.C.

 

The team will be accompanied by coaches Mark MacDonald and Joel Skinner. Sarnia Athletics Southwest is a smaller track and field club compared to many in the province. However, as evidenced by the recent signings of Derek Drouin and Maggie Mullen to large U.S.Universities, hard work and dedication can be very rewarding.