South Haven News

By Xava Wiens

The South Sumner Junior High Track team is a co-ed team, combining two small schools to come together and use each other to improve and build new relationships. The South Haven-Caldwell team has set new records and improved, breaking the typical assumption and appearance of amateur middle school athletes. 

At the beginning of the season, some struggled. The cold and rainy March weather affected the athletes in many negative ways, draining their motivation and confidence, but over time they built that back up and came back. For example, at the first meet in Central/Burden, the eighth grade boys 4×400 meter relay was running a time of 4:48.91 and getting last place, at their most recent meet they ran a 4:47.37 winning first place. The split second improvement might not seem like much, but the improvement is still there.

Carson Goeckel, one of the legs in that 4×400 meter team, and an eighth grade student at South Haven, has placed and medaled all season. Goeckel started the season with set goals, and, so far, he’s met them. While running and competing in the 100 meter dash, 400 meter dash, long jump, and of course, the 4×400 meter relay, he accomplished many goals and achievements. When asked the question, “What skill or event did you improve the most in, and what did it take to get there?” Goeckel answered, “Well at the first meet I just wanted to see where I was standing in all my events, and what I was good at and not good at, after that meet I realized I was best at the 400. Over the season I dropped my time by many seconds and that was because I focused on practice.” 

Head girls coach, Jennifer Cully, has been coaching track for many years, and she knows a thing or two when it comes to competing. Coach Cully, when asked the question, “Beyond medals and trophies, how do you measure success for a junior high program?” She responded, “We set goals and focus on them, if you succeed and hit your goals that is our version of success.” Cully is excited to see these kids improve and go on with their running careers.

The Junior High team had a total of 6 track meets this season, and have one more left. The Junior High SCBL track meet will be in Udall, at 1 pm. Goeckel is very nervous because it is his last middle school track meet ever.