It’s School Sport Week, a time to celebrate the accomplishments of high school athletes and the dedication of the coaches and supporters who stand behind those efforts.
“Here in the Horizon Central Athletic Association, we have almost 50 schools that take part in school sport, and the percentage of students who are participants in extra-curricular sports is incredibly high,” says Brian Grest, Horizon School Division’s student activities director.
The Horizon Division boasts both strong athletes and passionate coaches, Grest says. It’s part of the reason that many provincial sports competitions are hosted by schools in the region.
As the cap to School Sports Week, the HCAA will be hosting the provincial cross country competitions on the trails of the Carlton Trail Ski Club north of Dixon on Saturday. This fall, the club has hosted both pre-district and district competitions. Almost 600 athletes and an equal number of coaches and supporters will descend on the hills.
“What makes the location special is that it's the perfect cross country running course,” Grest says. “A lot of these events end up being on golf courses which are groomed, but cross country is supposed to be an all-terrain type of run. The challenge is the weather conditions, and the challenge is the course itself with obstacles and rough terrain. Our course at Dixon is, in my opinion, the perfect running course. ”
No doubt, the runners are up for the challenge as they congregate for one of the biggest individual and team high school sporting events in the province. It’s a great way to celebrate School Sport Week.