News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Wes Cook, one of the most experienced track and field coaches in all of Oregon, has landed in the Sisters area and will join two of his friends and former colleagues as part of the coaching staff for this year's track and field team at Sisters High School. It's a three-way reunion, as Cook rejoins Jim Anderson more than four decades after the pair first teamed up as coaches at Clackamas High School in the late 1960s and early '70s. Together, the two men have accumulated over... Full story
While the people of Central Oregon are experiencing balmy weather, dubbing the last month as "Juneuary," winter still has a hold on the Korean peninsula, where I live. We have had a month of days in which the temperature seldom pushed out of the mid-30s and just enough snow to keep everyone wary of icy spots when out running or walking. Normally, cold weather would not bother me one bit, but about 10 days into my New Year's resolution of running more, I developed a muscle stra... Full story
In his first outing at a collegiate runner, Brandon Pollard entered the record books for Gonzaga University when he ran 4:10.6 in the indoor mile to become the fastest frosh of all-time for the Bulldogs. His time was the second-fastest ever for a Bulldog miler indoors. Running in the University of Washington Preview Meet in Seattle, Pollard surprised even himself with how good he felt as the race progressed. "I just kind of hung on with the lead pack of my heat and with a lap to go (300 meters) I felt really good and went... Full story
The fall sports season for Sisters High School produced some unprecedented results, including that the Outlaws were named players of the year in numerous sports, including boys and girls soccer, volleyball, and girls cross-country. Aria Blumm earned Athlete of the Year honors in cross-country based on her victory at the district meet and a confirmation from the coaches. In a stellar senior season, Blumm achieved what no other female runner has accomplished for Sisters by placi... Full story
On November 19, I jogged along a country lane in sort of a dream-like state, not fully believing not only that was I in Switzerland; I was running toward the small village from which my great grandparents Charles (Karl) Kanzig and Marie Lerch Kanzig emigrated over 120 years ago. Back in the 1980s, I found a postcard in a trunk my mother owned that was filled with odds and ends of family history. The picture included a scene of a simple street in a Swiss village. The writer... Full story
Aria Blumm capped her high school cross-country career in style, placing third in the 4A State Championships held Saturday, November 1, at Lane Community College in Eugene. Blumm ran with the leaders throughout the race, but Lexi Healy of Henley High School was able to pull away in the final mile for the victory in 18:58. Danielle Jantzer of Phoenix High School finished second (19:04), followed by Blumm in 19:11. Blumm's finish is the best for an individual girl at the state meet in school history, and helped the Outlaws to... Full story
Sometimes I wonder what I will miss most about South Korea when I come back to the U.S. Will I seek out the hot red sauce that is served alongside many Korean meals? Will I build a Korean-style barbecue in a deck table so I can have friends over to share thin slices of beef laid out on a lettuce leaves with rice and sauce? Will I begin a new fashion trend in America with his-and-hers matching (from head to toe) hiking outfits, replete with articulated pants and telescopic hiking sticks? One thing I would like to bring back... Full story
Sloshy mud and steady rainfall do not typically translate into personal records on cross-country courses, but Aria Blumm is anything but typical. The senior runner took the lead from the gun and never looked back on her way to a personal-best 5,000-meters time of 19:29, well over a minute ahead of last year's winner, Breanna Wright of Cottage Grove. Expectations were high for Blumm after she placed third at last year's 3,000-meter race at the OSAA 4A Track and Field... Full story
Running in the last five-kilometer race of the regular season at the George Fox Classic on Saturday, October 11, the Sisters Outlaws cross-country teams were looking forward to recording fast times and competing head-to-head with some of the best competition of the season. Things worked out fairly well for the boys team, but the girls team ended up relying on younger runners for the meet after the top four Outlaws did not compete. In addition to the challenges faced by the Outlaws girls, the meet director, Randy Dalzell,... Full story
A Friday meet in Central Oregon gave the Sisters Outlaws the chance to run a race without having to sit on a cramped bus for hours ahead of time. Whether it was that or the competition that Bend High attracted to the Oxford Classic, the team achieved some strong results. Aria Blumm ran within a second of her career best on her way to eighth place in the elite girls' race, finishing in 19:53.2, one place behind Danielle Jantzer of Phoenix, the top 4A runner in the race. "It was good to see Aria really race the girls around... Full story
I have never witnessed the Olympic Games first hand, but I believe I may have now experienced the next-best-thing after attending the Asian Games XVII for track and field on Saturday, September 27. The "Asiad," as the Asian Games are known, has rotated among the countries of Asia every four years and includes many of the events typical of the Summer Olympics, including "athletics," or as we know it in America, track and field. Forty-six countries were represented. So after consulting my calendar, I conspired to complete a... Full story
The hallmarks of a successful athletic program include "going the extra mile" in ways the average teams simply don't do. The Outlaws cross-country program has been a perennial power over the past 20 years, earning numerous district championships, appearances at the state meet and state-level trophies. The team often has members numbering over 50. What is the key to this success? "Consistency of coaching and giving kids a well-rounded experience," says Coach Rima Givot, who has been part of the program for the past 14 years.... Full story
The weather forecast called for rain and wind with high temperatures in the 80s to go along with the regular humidity of August in South Korea, but I went on a 30-mile bike ride anyway. As I headed up and over the hill toward the Gapcheon River bike path, the familiar excitement of being "one of the few" to brave the outdoors despite the wet and wind caused me to smile. I may have even let out a whoop of joy. There is something deeply satisfying about embracing challenges that are totally optional. Who would know or care if... Full story
What began as an innovation to expand activities at Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) turned into a very successful camp for 23 runners from throughout Oregon who participated in the inaugural Great Northwest Sports Camps cross-country camp, according to SPRD Executive Director Liam Hughes. The camp began Sunday, June 22 and drew to a close Saturday, June 28. Patterned after the Sisters Outlaws' traditional team camp, high school runners ran the trails, climbed... Full story
Just when I thought I had begun readjusting to being in the Pacific time zone after returning from South Korea, I flew to Florida for a conference focused on the International Baccalaureate program to which my school in Korea belongs. After four days in the Eastern time zone and at sea level in humidity, I headed to Fort Collins, Colorado, which is a mile high and in the mountain time zone. Today I got back home and knew just what I needed to adjust to my normal time zone and... Full story
A day after arriving back in Sisters after a school year in South Korea, my wife and I gathered up our two dogs and hit the trail for our first run since our return through the forest at the edge of town. Dust puffed up from the trail, coating our shoes. Indian paintbrush, balsam root, and lupine lined the trail. Through the ponderosas we caught glimpses of the bright white mountaintops backed by the clear blue sky. Despite my being quite out of condition, my soul felt renewed. Locals know it in their hearts what a special... Full story
A week after signing a letter of intent to run for Division 1 Gonzaga University, Brandon Pollard showed why the 'Zags want him on the team. The Outlaws senior ran away from the rest of the 800-meter field at the OSAA 4A State Track and Field Championships held at Hayward Field on Saturday. His victory gave him some sense of redemption after he lost an epic battle in the 1,500 with defending state-champion Mack Marbas of Siuslaw earlier in the day by just .4 seconds - 3:58.45... Full story
Rain and cool temperatures had no adverse effects on at least two Outlaws track athletes as two more school records fell at the 14-team Wally Ciochetti Invitational, held at Cottage Grove High School Friday, May 9. Brandon Pollard, who broke the school record in the 1,500-meter race earlier this month, continued his assault on the Sisters High School middle-distance record-book with a wire-to-wire win in the 800, clocking a 4A best time this season in 1:55.92. His victory... Full story
Brandon Pollard made the record books in more ways than one at the Jesuit Twilight Relays, crushing the school record for 1,500 meters in what may have been the fastest field ever assembled at a high school meet in Oregon. Pollard place fifth in the elite section of the metric mile in 3:56.02 as 10 boys cracked the four-minute barrier. Matthew Maton of Summit High School won the race in 3:49.38, which is the fastest time in the entire nation this year. Included in the field... Full story
Elite-level meets produce elite-level times, and the 50th annual Centennial Invitational gave three Outlaws runners the chance to re-write the record books. They all came tantalizingly close at last Saturday's meet. Brandon Pollard, returning from a slight injury to his foot that kept him out of competition for the past two weeks, showed no signs of rust as he blazed to second place in the 1,500 meters in 4:00.81, over four seconds faster than his third-place finish at the sta... Full story
Mid-season track is often a time for some of the best training of the year. Which, Coach Josh Nordell notes, can be tricky when you're also participating in two meets a week. Which is why the team sort of mixed things up last week, giving some of the younger athletes a chance to shine at a league meet at La Pine Thursday and then having a little fun in the Elmira Relays on Saturday. Thursday's meet against Sweet Home and the Hawks turned out to be more of a junior varsity... Full story
Picture a running-race like any other race: Bright colored running gear ranging from short shorts to full-length spandex, Nikes, Asics, Mizunos, Adidas in every model and color, worn by athletes all milling around with pre-race jitters in a city park on a beautiful spring day. I, along with nine of my colleagues from Taejon Christian International School, are among the crowd about to take part in the Three Rivers Marathon. (For the record: nearly every running-race is called... Full story
Living up to the name of the meet, Aria Blumm ran the finest race of her career on her way to becoming the champion of the 3,000 meters at Saturday's Meet of Champions (MOC) held April 12 at Willamette University in Salem. The MOC features top track and field athletes from 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A classifications, which typically results in strong fields and top marks. Blumm's victory, in 10:52.22, brings her within five seconds of the Sisters High School record, established by... Full story
The best weather in the 12 years since its inception may have explained why the Peterson Ridge Rumble also had a historic number of finishers for the annual 20- and 40-mile trail run held Sunday, April 13. A cool morning at starting time gave way to pleasant temperatures and a light wind, much to the pleasure of the ultra runners according to race director Sean Meissner, who returned to Sisters from his new home in Flagstaff, Arizona for the event. "The snow-capped Three Sisters shining in all their glory combined with the... Full story
The first track meet of the season is a test of pre-season conditioning and a chance to get into the competitive spirit. The Sisters Outlaws got that chance at the Mountain View Icebreaker, held March 19. In the second race of the day, Brandon Pollard showed that he is a true force to be reckoned with as he opened the season with a speedy 1,500-meter race of 4:10.64 that included a brilliant kick. Dyut Fetrow (4:41), Devon Calvin (4:43), and Shea Krevi (4:44) placed third,... Full story
