The Cochrane High School Cobras girls track team is in Toronto this weekend (May 11) for the High School Grand Prix Track and Field Invitational.
The Cobras are representing Alberta at the Nike-sponsored event presented by School Sport Canada. Cobras track coach Esther Sieben was putting the final touches on the team’s travel plans in a May 5 interview with The Eagle.
“It’s kind of like a team challenge as well as a provincial challenge. It’s a neat event,” Sieben explained. “The girls did a little bit of fundraising.”
Sieben is taking 13 girls to the event. She’d be taking others, but several seniors declined the invite to take part in their graduation activities.
“Some of the senior girls chose not to come. So I’m taking a really young team, mostly Grade 10s and 11s,” Sieben related. “It’s going to be a great experience for them because they still have one or two years with Cochrane High track. Developmentally, it’s probably one of the best things that could happen for our girls program.”
The timing couldn’t be better. They’ll be returning from the Grand Prix in Toronto and launching right into the track season here. The Divisional meet is Tuesday, May 14, at Eastlake Athletic Park in Airdrie. South Central Zones follow two weeks later in Calgary.
“Having this track meet and having their spikes on early and in a competition like this against other provinces, will definitely get these girls fired up and ready to compete,” Sieben enthused.
She’s bringing 13 girls who will compete in 100-metre, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, long jump, high jump and shot put.
“What you do is you take a core group of 13 girls and you split them among all of those events and you’ll get a team total on how they do at the meet.”
