Track practice underway despite snow

Snowy weather greeted Sisters High School athletes the first day of the 2012 track and field season, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm and aspirations of the participants.

Largely relegated to staying indoors, the runners, jumpers, and throwers spent time with basic conditioning while getting to know one another a little better.

Under the guidance of recently appointed Head Track Coach Charlie Kanzig and his assistants, Jim Anderson and Carlos Garcia, the team began its quest for a successful season. Kanzig, who has been the head cross-country coach at Sisters High since 1995, replaces Nik Goertzen, who served as the head coach last year and as an assistant the year before.

"Our first line of philosophy is that everyone matters," said Kanzig. "The first measurement of our success is that every person who starts the season finishes the season and that each member can clearly gauge his or her improvement."

While the team sports two returning state champions and a number of other state meet qualifiers, which would be the envy of any coaching staff, the Outlaws are equally excited about the growth and development of the younger, less experienced members of the team.

Senior Sara Small is set to defend her pole vault title from 2011. She cleared 11 feet indoors at a meet on February 4, which is just three inches shy of her best.

Zoe Falk will seek a repeat of her freshmen year performance in the 800 meter run though she will likely face a number of other sophomores who joined her in the state final last season. Falk also figures to compete at 1500 meters and the 4x400 meter relay as well as long jump, all of which she competed in at the state meet last year.

"To have a girls' team with two returning state champions and a host of other talented, motivated athletes is exciting to say the least," said Kanzig.

Among that host is sophomore Natalie Ambrose, who placed fourth at state in the 400 meters and sixth in the 200 meters as a frosh, in addition to running a leg on the school record-setting 4x400-meter relay team along with Falk and senior Chelsea Reifschneider. Sisters' team placed third at the state meet in that event, so with three of the four runners back they are looking at lowering the school record even further.

Reifschneider has her eyes on improving her fourth-place finish at state last year in the 300-meter hurdles and should be in the hunt in the 100-meter hurdles as well.

Alicia Haken, a junior, advanced to state in the high jump last year and looks to return, while also contributing in the 100 hurdles, triple-jump and pole vault.

Another versatile member of the team, sophomore Bailey Bremer, will be part of the sprint corps and will continue high-jumping and triple jumping as well.

A stellar freshman class, as well as some other returnees and new additions, have the makings of a very cohesive, successful team, according to Kanzig.

"The girls team has great leadership with these girls, which is already evident in practice," said Kanzig.

The boys team figures to overcome the loss of team leaders to graduation with a good balance of young men among the 30 who have turned out so far.

Senior Easton Curtis is fit and strong and will figure in the center of much of the team's hopes for 2012. A state qualifier in the 400 and 800 meters as an individual last year, Curtis is among the top returnees in both events at the 4A level.

Junior Andrew Snyder, who cleared 12 feet 8 inches last month in the pole vault, is hungry to challenge the best of the best in the Sky-Em League in his specialty. Plagued by a sore knee most of last season, Snyder can't wait to contribute in other events for the team this season.

Sophomores Brandon Pollard and Landon Prescott ought to provide octane in the middle- and long-distance events based on last year's results. Pollard qualified for the state meet in the 1,500 and narrowly missed a berth in the 3,000, while Prescott was one of the fastest freshmen in the 800 meters last year in the Sky-Em.

Once Tim Hernandez is finished with basketball, the team will welcome back his jumping talents, where he is one of the top long- and triple-jumpers in the league.

He should be backed up nicely by sophomore Jacob Richerson, who finished among the top jumpers in the Sky-Em League last season.

The Outlaws open the season at the Mountain View Icebreaker on Wednesday, March 14.