By Joel van der Veen
LOREBURN — Close to 300 students from around the area competed in the east sectional high school track and field meet at Loreburn Central School this past week.
Sunny skies abounded as the school welcomed students from Davidson, Loreburn, Kenaston, Outlook, Elrose, Beechy, Lucky Lake and Outlook’s Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute (LCBI) on Wednesday.
Teacher Lloyd Tulp, the event’s key organizer, said the event was a success thanks to the efforts of students, coaches, teachers and community volunteers who kept things running smoothly.
Tulp, who served as coach for Loreburn, said he was pleased with the athletes’ performances, saying, “All my athletes gave their very best, and that’s all I could ask for.”
He said they had heard compliments on the condition of the school’s track; staff members had worked to resurface it after it was subject to vandalism on Sunday night. Tulp said drivers “tore up the inside track.”
The meet kicked off around 10 a.m. with students meeting in the Loreburn gym, but the day’s events gradually fell behind schedule. The track events finished at 3:30 p.m., 45 minutes late, while field events continued till around 4 p.m.
“When you have that many athletes, usually it goes that way,” said Tulp, noting that lots of students competed in multiple events, and adding that organizers may consider starting 15 or 20 minutes earlier next time around.
One student from Outlook High School sprained his ankle during the afternoon, and Tulp said other students had the usual soreness associated with such events.
“Other than that, we have been injury-free,” he said. “Dehydration hasn’t been too bad, we’ve been trying to get everybody to drink lots of water.”
Tulp expressed particular appreciation to staff from Outlook, including Cindy Tulp, Shannon Stephenson and Eli Dingle, and to Sun West School Division athletic commissioner Miles Bennett, who served in the starter’s position all day.
He also expressed his gratitude to the teachers, EAs and students from Loreburn, including Shea Boyle, who volunteered as a timer alongside the track throughout the day.
Many students from Davidson, Loreburn and Kenaston made an impressive showing; all but two of Davidson’s athletes are eligible to compete in the district track meet in Outlook on May 29 and 30.
For the full story, including results from all top winners and local competitors, please pick up a copy of the May 25 edition of The Davidson Leader.