The cross-country running coaches at Renfrew Collegiate Institute are not letting success overwhelm them ahead of the provincial championships
Kathleen Motterhead tells myFM that students Ariel Gibbons and Owen Daber are off to the Dagmar Ski Resort in Uxbridge to represent the school at the OFSAA Provincial Championship on Saturday, November 5th.
They earned those spots on Wednesday, October 26th by placing 4th and 3rd in their respective divisions at the regional EOSSAA Cross Country Championships along the Petawawa Golf Course.
She calls it a great return for the club after last year’s regional race was lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking ahead, Coach Motterhead expects that the course at the Dagmar Ski Resort will feature plenty of hills. That’s fine by her, as it plays into the strengths of her runners.
A good jump off the starting line is a specific focus for the pair, as Motterhead explains they’ll be in a field of between 250 and 275 runners at the Provincial race.
She admits it will be tough for Ariel and Owen as individual runners against teams from other schools. However, they’re keeping a positive outlook on the day because just making it on their own is a fantastic achievement for a smaller school like RCI.
(written by Kasey Egan)
