Track and field meet in Stellarton allows athletic talent to shine throughout Central Nova Scotia

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STELLARTON, N.S. — While most of the spectators were wrapped in blankets to keep themselves warm from the chill winds on May 18, athletes braved the temperature in their best sporting attire, waiting to take on a day of track and field events.

The Chignecto Central Regional Centre for Education’s track and field meet invited junior high school and high school students from across the district to take on a series of challenges, from relay races and sprints to high jumps and shotput.

Out of the competition, Cobequid Educational Centre (CEC) was one of the teams to beat, carrying with them a long history of track and field victories that only push upcoming athletes to go further and further.

“We’ve always had a very strong and very successful track and field team,” said head coach Iain Lapointe of CEC. “I was on the team as an athlete back in the 1990s, and we had a run of provincial banners that lasted decades.”

Lapointe has coached with the team for about a decade. He spoke further about the team’s successes.

“We generally win two or three, and twice in history have won all four provincial banners, which no other school has done,” said Lapointe, referencing intermediate and senior ages.

Athletes from schools across the CCRCE district met in Stellarton on May 18 to compete in track and field. Pictured is the senior girls 800-metre sprint, where the CEC Cougars competed against the Antigonish's Dr. J.H. Gillis Royals. Brendyn Creamer — Athletes from schools across the CCRCE district met in Stellarton on May 18 to compete in track and field. Pictured is the senior girls 800-metre sprint, where the CEC Cougars competed against the Antigonish’s Dr. J.H. Gillis Royals. Brendyn Creamer

After this district meet, qualifying athletes will head off to a regional competition that is set to take place this Friday and Saturday (May 26 and 27), also in Stellarton. Those who qualify from regionals will go on to face off against track and field athletes across the province.

While winning is always nice, Lapointe views track and field not as a sport of rigid competition, but of inclusion.

“We took 110 athletes to the district meet in Stellarton,” said Lapointe. “We really kind of approach it that we have something for everybody. We know that not everyone can make a high school basketball varsity team or varsity football team, but we’re very inclusive, and we have athletes who don’t play any other sports who we’ll take and train and will do well in track and field.”

Out of the 110 athletes that CEC brought to the district meet, 95 of them qualified for individual events at regionals.

“That’s where we expect it to be,” said Lapointe. “Our athletes performed extremely well in some pretty awful conditions.”

Lapointe noted the general level of skill amongst athletes in the Central Nova Scotia region.

“We have some amazing athletes that come out of this area. Not just at the high school level, but the junior highs, as well.”

One student attempting the high jump. Brendyn Creamer

For those still in junior high, Lapointe said they offer as much encouragement as they can.

“We know we’re going to see those kids from Bible Hill Junior High, Truro Middle School, Central Colchester, and West Colchester. They’re eventually coming to CEC, so we try to support them as well, and there’s a lot of really great things happening at the middle school, junior high levels.”

Andre Robichaud, coach for the Redcliff Middle School team, made also made note of the support from older athletes.

“The thing I like about it is, it’s neat to see the ones that you coached in Grade 6 and 7, now in Grade 12,” said Robichaud. “You’re always having conversations with them, and it’s just such an open, positive atmosphere.

“There’s a lot of our younger kids that look up to these Grade 12s and thinking, holy smokes, they’re fast,” Robichaud continued. “It’s nice to see them come over, even give a little bit of a high five or a fist bump. To the younger kids, that means a lot. They idolize them a little bit, and it helps motivate them.”

Robichaud brought 45 middle schoolers to Stellarton that day. He said 10 qualified for regionals.

While those who did qualify had their time in the spotlight, Robichaud noted that much of the feedback since the event from students shows they enjoyed it for reasons outside of competing.

“This was one of the first years with nothing to do with COVID, and it was just awesome to see their smiles,” said Robichaud. “Even when they weren’t competing, they were huddled around each other, in the tents laughing and playing games. At the end of the day, it just beats being in school, and you get to see them in a different light that’s outside of school.”