Recent NewsCoyotes Golden in Toronto - January 21, 2023
Photo: members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club pose for pictures between races at the Flying Angels Ontario Showcase Track & Field meet held at the Toronto Track and Field Centre.
Another year is upon us, and the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club is looking to make 2023 another great year of training and racing for our community’s youth. With the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been receiving, the Coyotes have been taking full advantage of the clear roads and sidewalks to do some of their hardest winter workouts, such as running hill repeats, without the fear of slips and falls.
Despite being in the hardest part of their winter training and having tired legs, a small number of the Coyote athletes decided to put their training to the test as 10 athletes travelled to the Toronto Track and Field Centre to compete against some of the Provinces best in the first Track & Field meet of the year. The expectations for this track meet were to simply have some fun in the middle of a long winter training block, gain some experience, and allow the coaches to see how well the training has been going so far this season. Coach Steve wanted to emphasize some fun for the runners, so he brought along a new team mascot, the Wile-E-Coyote with custom fitted team jersey. The mascot was tossed about in games of tag as the runners awaited their afternoon races. In the very first race of the day, Coyote Bennett Hustwitt got off to a fast start and faded a bit in the final stretch but still cruised to a first place finish in the boys U9 400m. In the girls U11 400m, Breanna Hustwitt had some fierce competition and finished 8th overall, knocking 6 seconds off her previous personal best (PB) time in the 400m. In their second race of the day, both Hustwitts ended up being placed in the same heat which made for some fun jockeying for position on the line. Both raced well and Bennett won himself a second gold medal. Caleb Cleland was the only Coyote participating in the 1200m races and he finished with a 3 second PB in the boys U11 race, and brought home another gold medal for the team. Following the 1200m races, Chloe Burgess competed in her first indoor meet, the 1500m race. She stayed calm and cool, smashing her PB by 9 seconds. Jacob Martindill, Nathan Leary and Richard Saunders took part in both the U13 boys 1500m and the 800m races and found that they were excellent competition for each other as they traded positions and tried to out sprint each other. In their 800m race, Jacob Martindill looked calm and strong as he crossed the finish line knocking an amazing 9 seconds of his previous PB. Richard and Nathan were not far behind, with Nathan lunging forward to cross the finish line and claiming 6th place ahead of Richard in 7th by 1/10th of a second. The seniors of the team looked confident and strong in all of their races. Isabel Spence put forth a very controlled performance in her 800m race and she finished second in her heat earning herself a new PB. Bryson Cleland took part in the 800m race and had Coach Steve coaxing him to push himself earlier than usual and he earned himself a new PB. Emmett Leary demonstrated great control in both of his 1500m and 800m races and he placed first in both. The 1500m race was quite interesting as the officials didn’t acknowledge that Emmett and another racer from Etobicoke had finished their 1500m race a full lap ahead of many, so both jumped back on the track and did an additional 200m at a blistering pace. After reviewing the footage, all was corrected, though many of the athletes left the track unhappy about not having the bell lap signaled appropriately, as many didn’t put forth a finishing kick. All in all, it was a great day or racing. Our Coyote athletes managed to take home many lessons along with 5 gold medals, lots of ribbons and 15 new PB’s of the 19 events in which they participated. 
Coyotes Capture 100th Provincial Championship medal - Oct 29, 2022
Photo: Coyote member, Ellis Goodman, shows off his first Provincial Championship medal and the team's 100th Provincial championship medal at the Cross-Country championship last weekend in Niagara Falls.
In August 2010, a small group of local runners gathered under the guidance of running coaches Kevin and Shelley Hooper. Their goal was to provide quality coaching and training for middle and long-distance runners and to help them achieve their personal best in a positive and uplifting environment. Within a year the club had exploded to over 40 runners and has continued for the past 12 years to be recognized as one of the top middle distance and distance track clubs in Ontario, consistently bringing home local, provincial and national medals as well. Despite the retirement of Kevin and Shelley in 2020, the club has continued to succeed throughout the pandemic under new head coach Steve Leary who began coaching with the team in the spring of 2016.
One of the key focus areas of the team’s success is promoting team spirit, acceptance of all athletes at all levels, and celebrating the countless personal best performances that athletes achieve each year. For the past twelve years the coaching staff has tracked every achievement from their athletes and this fall the club is celebrating a huge milestone and accomplishment, as one of its younger runners, Ellis Goodman, has brought home the team’s 100th Minor Track Associations individual Provincial championship medal. Ellis captured a silver in the PeeWee boys race to win his first Provincial Championship medal and the 100th for the club. He joined the club this summer as his older brother Tobin was already training and running with the team, and has himself already captured two championship medals after his bronze medal last weekend in the Mite boys race. Last weekend, in Niagara Falls, the team was able to win an amazing 5 individual Provincial championship medals, the most the team has ever won at a single Cross-Country championship meet and was the third place team overall behind the Glen Manor Track Club from Scarborough and the Durham Dragons from the Durham region; the east end of the Greater Toronto Area. After last weekend’s championship meet, the Georgian Bay Coyote athletes have managed to win 104 individual Provincial championship medals and the coaching staff look forward to working with these young athletes to achieve the next 100 medals and countless more personal bests. Coyotes Compete at 2022 MTA XC Championships - Oct 29, 2022
Photo: Emmett Leary (#199) of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track club gets out to a clean start among the best under-14-year-old runners in the Province at the 2022 Minor Track Association Provincial Cross-Country Championships in Niagara Falls
On September 29th, the Georgian Bay Coyotes took a sizeable team of 27 athletes to Niagara Falls to participate in this year’s Minor Track Association Cross-Country Provincial Championships. The event was held at Firemen’s Park, a park with acres of baseball diamonds and treed trails with gentle rolling terrain mixed with some uneven footing.
The team started the competition with the Pewee girls and boys race. Coyotes who participated in this race were younger siblings of athletes in the older divisions as the club does not accept runners under the age of 7 but several of these runners have been running mini workouts with the team for some fun over the past few months. Rosalie Ménard was brave enough to step to the line and participate in her very first race. She ran with a smile on her face and placed 8th. Ellis Goodman had to brave some nerves at the start line, but he pushed past this challenge and ran beautifully and strong, placing 2nd. The next event in the day was the Mite girls 1km race. Madeline Armstrong was the top finisher for the Coyotes and she had a strong performance, placing 14th and the three Coyote girls finishing as the 4th place Mite girls team. The Mite boys team proved to be a force to be reckoned with in their race as Caleb Cleland ran a fast race from start to finish, taking 1st place, Tobin Goodman took the bronze medal in 3rd and Bennett Hustwitt close behind in 5th. Along with their teammate Ludovic Menard who placed 14th, these impressive finishes allowed their team to capture the first place Mite boys team title. In the Tyke races, our top female, Nyla Dubeau finished in 8th, with the girls team placing fourth overall and narrowly missing out on the team medals. The Tyke boys team was small but mighty. Liam MacInnes-Wiley placed 12th, while his teammate Joseph Spence had the audience on their toes as he put forth an incredible finishing kick to come from behind and snatch 3rd place by 5/10 of a second. The Coyotes had the largest number of participants in the Atom races, which were the next event on the schedule. There were 7 Coyote girls showing their true colours on the start line, and they all demonstrated great determination and sportsmanship. Kate Earle was the top finisher, among the Coyote Girls for this very difficult race category, placing 33rd but each of the Coyote athletes pushed hard through the finish line running some very impressive times. The Atom boys race had 4 Coyotes racing. Bryson Cleland lead the pack of orange with an excellent finish of 11th. All four boys ran solid races and, in similar fashion to the Tyke girls, captured 4th place for their team just narrowly missing the team medals. The final races for the Coyote runners were in the Senior age category. Isabelle Spence stepped to the line; though she was recovering from a chest cold. She found herself struggling to breathe nearing the end of the race, and a mass of Coyotes in the audience put on an amazing display of support, cheering her through the finish line. Last, but not least, Emmett Leary took his place amongst the 48 young men crowding the start line. He was determined to get out near the front of the pack before heading into some narrow trails in the bush just 300m into the 3km race. When the runners emerged from the bush Emmett was in 2nd position and he held his place commandingly, crossing the line in 2nd, about 15 seconds ahead of the pack of boys fighting for third. Overall it was a great day of racing for our Georgian Bay Coyotes, in their toughest race all year, which saw more than 400 athletes come from throughout the Province to compete at this highest level of competition for youth Athletics. The Coyote runners captured 5 individual medals and 1 team title. They also captured the hearts of many with their comradery and sportsmanship and amazing team spirit and enthuiasm. Congratulations to all who participated. The team will soon take a well-deserved break before beginning training for the indoor season. 
Coyotes compete at High school BAA Meet - Oct 20, 2022
On October 20th, six members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club competed at the Bluewater Athletic Association (BAA) high school cross-country meet. Held at the Grey Sauble Conservation Area near Inglis Falls, the weather was harsh, with consistent cold rain throughout the day and at some points snow and sleet. Despite the truly Canadian Cross Country running weather, the Coyote runners pushed through and returned with amazing results.
In the Novice girls 4km race, Jessie Lister and Olive Elkins ran for the Georgian Bay Community School team. They both ran good, strong races, on muddy, uneven terrain. Jessie Lister placed 4th and automatically advances to CWOSSA, while Olive Elkins placed 12th. For the junior girls 5km race, Coyotes Vani Mahajan, and Lindy Kingston competed for St.Mary’s Highschool. Both ran strong and steady races, Vani managed to get out near the front of the pack, through the rain and sleet and placed 3rd and Lindy 11th, both qualifying for CWOSSA alongside their teammates Charlotte Woodhouse and Kiera Nechala. In the Junior Boys 5km, Wesley Brown and Ethan Mei had an especially eventful race. Ethan ran smooth and steady, saving his legs for next week's competition, and placed 2nd. Wesley was also running a good and steady race, until he was sent in the wrong direction by an official and ran an extra 2km! Luckily, both Wesley and Ethan Qualified for the next level of competition, alongside their teammates Luke House, Aidan Ritchie and Desmond Solursh. After team scores were tallied, all six of the Georgian Bay Coyote runners will progress to next week's CWOSSA (Central Western Ontario School Sports Associations) championship meet held at the Ainsdale golf course in Kincardine. This competition is the last step on the road to OFSAA, the Height of high school athletics in Ontario. We wish all the Coyote runners the best as CWOSSA is historically one of the hardest divisions to progress through. Coyotes Plea to Save our Track
Photo: members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club hold up “Save Our Track” signs to raise awareness about the future of the 87 Aiken St facility.
Following the opening of a new super school in Meaford as replacement for the old high-school (GBSS) and the listing for sale of the old GBSS building, attention now turns to the old GBCS athletic field at 87 Aiken St. On October 4, 2022 the Bluewater District Business Committee of the Whole quietly and unanimously passed a recommendation from Rob Cummings, Superintendent of Business Services and Treasurer that the School sports field property is no longer required for school purposes, and therefore surplus to the needs of the board and will be disposed of in accordance with Ontario Regulations.
This means once the school makes a proposal to sell the Aiken St field, the Municipality will have 90 days to respond to the sale of the property before it is lost to the residents of Meaford. The municipality does not currently own or maintain a track facility nor does the Municipality own a basketball or soccer facility; all of which this property currently is. Since 2016 The Meaford (Georgian Bay) Coyotes Track Club have petitioned council with the notion that the old GBCS athletic field will be lost as a greenspace and training facility for our town if Meaford council does not act. The latest phase of this campaign has centered around contacting candidates in the upcoming municipal elections and efforts by the team to raise community awareness around the future of the Aiken St field which abuts the Georgian trail along it’s southern perimeter. The COVID pandemic has taught us to value the time we spend together and just how important it is that we can come together as friends, team-mates, coaches and families to connect, exercise and create memories together. Over the years the Coyotes management have made the case to council that Grey County is above the National average for drug abuse, alcohol abuse, obesity and under-activity among our youth as well as adults; That diabetes is on the rise, not just in our adults, but more importantly, among our teens and 20-30 age group. It was stressed that kids need more physical activity, a place to do it, and be able to participate at a reasonable cost along with a safe environment. With several new infill developments underway or with the OLT (Ontario Land Tribunal) for approval, many more people will be able to live in this beautiful town we call home. This makes it increasingly important that we preserve our urban greenspace for future generations so that our growing town has the facilities to maintain a healthy, happy and medal winning population for generations to come. Coyotes Take Control in Burlington - Oct 16, 2022
Photo: members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club Atom Boys team get off to a controlled start before winning the team title at the Ken Lake Classic XC race in Burlington.
Sunday, October 16th was a beautiful, bright and sunny day in Burlington, where 25 members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club travelled to compete in the final Minor Track Association’s (MTA) Cross-Country prep meet before the Provincial championships. The Coyotes were using this race to get a feel for this year’s competition and to help make final team selection before the biggest race of the year which will be held in Niagara Falls. The Coyotes have been training hard all season and recently competed in their own XC race in early October, but they were well prepared for Burlington’s tough, hilly course and a higher level of competition.
The day got off to a flying start with the PeeWee boys and girls 800m races. Ellis Goodman and Catrina Dedopoulos were the lone Coyotes to compete in this youngest age division. Both runners looked strong as they climbed the final hill and used the last of their energy to cross the finish line first in their divisions and claim the gold medals. In the next race, three Coyotes were on the start line in the Mite girls 1km race. Breanna Hustwitt was the first Coyote to cross the line in 5th with her two Coyote teammates not far behind. After totaling the finishing positions of the three Coyote runners, they were declared the first place team, and each received medals for their efforts. The next race was the Mite Boys 1km race. It was an exciting race for the Coyotes as Tobin Goodman finished 2nd to take the silver medal, Caleb Cleland finished 3rd to take the bronze medal and Bennett Hustwitt finished 6th to round out the top three for the Coyotes , and again take the first place team medals. The Coyotes looked strong throughout the morning and were making their presence known with many Coyote athletes placing in the top 10 as the races progressed through the age groups. By about 11:30am it was time for the Coyotes largest age group team to step to the line with seven boys in the Atom boys (ages 11 & 12) 2km race. It was great to see so many local boys racing against some of the best in the Province and holding their own against them. The Coyotes top finisher in the Atom Boys race was Bryson Cleland in 7th, followed by Jacob Martindill in 9th and Ben Barclay in 17th. With a team score of 33 after their positions were added together, the boys were able to capture another team title for the Coyotes, with each of the seven Atoms Boys receiving medals for their efforts. With the day’s racing beginning to wind down, there were just two Coyotes left to step to the starting line. After a short delay, the lone Coyote Senior Boys runner, Emmett Leary, was ready to go. He got off to a great start and chose a smart line as they rounded the first corner and quickly settled into a comfortable pace. After 2km of the 3km race Emmett was comfortably in second place and he decided to make a break from the leader heading into the last stretch of trails. When he re-appeared on the other side, coming up the long and steep last hill, Emmett had a commanding lead and took 1st place with an unofficial new course record; 15 seconds ahead of the 2nd place finisher from Burlington and 30 seconds ahead of the 3rd place finisher from the Barrie area. Our final runner of the day, Vani Mahajan, stepped to the starting line in the Intermediate girls 4km race. Vani, who is preparing to race in the high-school Bluewater Athletics Association race later this week was using this as a training run just to loosen up her legs and get a feeling for what she will have to do to proceed through the high-school championship races. She started out quickly and calmly and soon took a commanding lead ahead of the other intermediate girls. She paced herself well and gave a solid finishing kick to claim top spot and the 4th individual gold medal for the team on the day. After a great day of racing, the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club came home with 6 individual medals, top team medals for 14 of our athletes and 15 of our athletes finishing within the top 10 in their races. The Coyotes are now preparing for the MTA Cross-Country championships as well as the high-school championships all within the next few weeks. 
Coyotes Participate in Thornbury Turkey Trott Oct 8, 2022
Photo: Coyotes Bryson Cleland, Nathan Leary, Ben Barclay & Liam MacInnes-Wiley show their sportsmanship as they cross the finish line together in first at the annual Thornbury Turkey Trott kids 1km run.
Coyotes host 11th Annual XC Meet - Oct 1, 2022
Photo: Mayoral candidates Paul Vickers and Ross Kentner present the medals to Nyla (1st) & Sadie Dubeau (2nd) and Alba Hargreaves (3rd) after the 2km, grade 3/4 girls race.
The Scarecrow invasion and Meaford Craft show were not the only invasions into Meaford this past weekend. On Saturday, October 1 more than 330 athletes registered to race at the 11th Annual Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club Cross-Country Race. The old GBCS track was buzzing with excitement as athletes and spectators poured onto the field to race, watch and cheer on some amazing races.
For the first time in recent memory, race day was sunny and warm and unusually beautiful for the annual race, but volunteers were more than willing to throw off their jackets and roll up their sleeves to help make the day such an amazing success. The day was filled with some incredible racing, wonderful examples of sportsmanship, determination, self-control, gratitude, friendship, and compassion. It was amazing, for the Coyote Track club coaches who struggled to keep the club going through lockdowns, to see 11 of their athletes step onto the podium this year with many others just missing out by a few seconds. Even more rewarding was to get to see hundreds of kids come out and race to the best of their abilities with smiles on their faces. There is a long list of volunteers who helped make this year’s event possible and the Coyote Track club can’t thank them enough. Matt Martindill, who helped lead our race rabbits and turtles; a wonderful group of volunteer high-school students who showed incredible leadership and encouragement towards the kids. Thank you to our two Mayoral candidates, Ross Kentner and Paul Vickers who both came to congratulate the athletes and help with the medal ceremonies. To Paramedic Scott Luce, who patched up scrapes and scratches with compassion and humour as well as Paula Luce who always lets the crowd know when to expect to see the runners coming out of the trees by ringing the cowbell. To Spencer Book and Mike French, our MC and colour commentator for keeping the crown wondering what was coming next and making us laugh. To our many race marshals who ensure the athletes stay on track and run a fair and clean race, the many volunteers who helped with registration, set-up, take-down, snacks and every issue that arose during the day; I wish we could name you all. Special Thanks go out to A-1 toilet rentals for providing much needed relief, the Fourth Canadian Division Training Centre for providing the big clock and a very big Thank you to Godard’s Your Independent Grocer and Grandma Lambe’s for supplying every participant with a donation of water, bananas and apples at the finish line. Five Coyotes compete at Ontario Summer Games - Jul 21-23, 2022
This past week the City of Mississauga was host to the Ontario Summer Games, the Province’s largest multi-sport competition for athletes aged 12-18. The Summer games are an initiative of the Provincial government’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. This year was the 26th edition of the games, which have grown to encompass more than 3500 athletes from across the Province in 19 different sports including baseball, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, soccer and athletics to name a few.
Five members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club, Vani Mahajan, Ethan Mei, Emmett Leary, Isabel Spence and Bryson Cleland were selected to participate in the sport of athletics as part of the team of 360 athletes who would get to compete in track and field. Each athlete was assigned to be part of one of four coloured teams which competed against each other for points based on their placing in their events, with the winning team getting to hoist the Ontario Summer Games Trophy. Each athlete spent three days with their team and team coaches which included numerous former Olympians, Canadian national team members, Canadian University track and field coaches and current University student athletes. Athletes arrived to their venue on Thursday morning to meet their team and coaches but the event got off to a bit of a rough start with some team jersey’s having been misplaced and the athletes hotel not being prepared for them so it was a lot of waiting around for the athletes as they tried to sort through the issues. The evening was capped with the opening ceremonies at Toronto’s Celebration Square where all 3500 athletes, coaches, volunteers and parents were welcomed by government officials and treated to the lighting of the torch and cauldron and some live music. Early Friday morning the athletes were bussed to the track at St. Marcellinus Secondary School where the athletics competition took place. The school included an 8-lane 400m rubberized track and all the necessarily elements for the field events including two jump pits and designated fenced off areas for the throwing events. As a middle-distance track club the five Coyote athletes were selected for the 800m, 1200m and 2000m running events. On Friday morning, with the temperatures already hovering around 30oC the Coyotes took the track in their 1200m races and showed that they were able to keep pace with the best in the Province. Meaford’s Emmett Leary held the lead in the first heat of the boys U14 1200m but couldn’t quite hold on in the kick to the finish placing 2nd overall and getting a silver medal. Each Coyote gave their best effort and several got new PB’s along with their experience. Bryson Cleland & Isabel Spence finished in 16th in the U14 boys / girls respectively, Vani Mahajan was 17th in the U16 girls and Ethan Mei was 22nd in the boys U16 race. Friday evening was capped off with the relay races where groups of four members of each team were selected to compete in either of the 4x100m or 4x800m relay. Isabel Spence was selected to be part of the 4x800m Team Grey ‘A’ team and she ran a strong middle leg to keep her team close with Team Grey finishing third and getting the Bronze medal. Bryson Cleland and Emmett Leary were selected as the 3rd and anchor legs for the 4x800m Team Red ‘B’ team. After 1600m on the track their team was in third place when Bryson took the baton from his teammate and started to make up ground. On his 2nd lap of the track he passed his closest competitor to move his team into 2nd position but well behind the Team Black ‘B’ team which was almost 100m ahead by this point. The final pass from Bryson to Emmett was a clean pass and Emmett took off like a shot trying to make up an almost impossible gap of approximately 100m with only 800m remaining in the race. Unofficially, Emmett ran his fastest 800m ever to unbelievably pass his Black team opponent on the final lap and take the Gold medal for the Red team. The Red Team manager said “it was the highlight of the weekend to see Emmett passing the Black team runner like he was standing still.” In the U16 4x800m relays Vani’s team White ‘B’ finished 5th and Ethan’s team Grey ‘B” team also finishing 5th. Saturday was another blistering hot day on the track with temperatures reaching 33oC and warmer when standing on a rubber track. The day began with the U16 2000m races. In the girls division Vani ran a personal best time to capture 9th while Ethan Mei missed a new personal best time by less than a second, finishing 15th. By mid-afternoon with the sun at its peak the athletes took to the track for the 800m races. In the girls U14 Isabel Spence ran a great race and had an exciting sprint to the finish outpacing her fellow competitor and finishing 17th. In the Boys U14 race, Emmett Leary again lead the first heat right off the start but was outkicked in the final 100m of the race to finish 2nd and claim his second silver medal. Bryson Cleland ran a very strong race knocking 6 seconds of his previous best time and finishing 11th. In the U16 girls race Vani Mahajan finished 23rd. With the competition winding down and teams desperately searching for additional points for their team to try to take the team title, club managers were asking athletes to compete in events for which they have never trained or raced. In the spirit of competition, Bryson Cleland, Emmett Leary and Vani Mahajan took up the offer and were late additions to the 800m and 1500m race walk. With last second instructions from officials on proper technique for these events they were last minute additions to the roster for these events. Officials needed to be on their toes as they issued numerous infractions and several disqualifications in the race walk competition but when all competitors crossed the finish line, unbelievably Bryson Cleland took the gold in the boys U14 800rW with teammate Emmett Leary claiming 3rd. In the girls U16 1500rW Vani Mahajan finished 5th. Based on their finishing position each of these athletes picked up valuable points for their team. After all the racing was done, the scores were tabulated and only 6 points separated the top three teams. The Grey Team which included Ethan Mei and Isabel Spence finished third overall. The White Team which included Vani Mahajan finished 2nd just 4.5 points back from the winning Red Team which included Emmett Leary and Bryson Cleland; who got to hoist the Ontario Summer Games Trophy with their teammates and coaches and do a victory lap around the track. Between July 21-23 these athletes had to endure relentless heat and time away from family and friends but received an experience of a lifetime getting to compete as part of Team Ontario and getting to meet likeminded athletes and make some lasting friendships which will continue at competitions yet to come. Our five Georgian Bay Coyote athletes represented themselves, the club and community with humility, compassion and a competitive spirit and their coaches and parents are very proud of them. Overall they came away with 7 championship medals and memories to last a lifetime. The team is now on a break but will resume training in August in preparation for Cross-Country season. Coyotes Compete at MTA Provincial Championships - Jul 16/17, 2022
Photo: Caleb Cleland, Bennett Hustwitt & Sam Zdybel-Smith sweep the podium, finishing 1st, 2nd & 3rd respectively, at the 2022 MTA Provincial Championships.
On Saturday July 16th and Sunday July 17th, thirteen members of the Georgian Bay Coyote Track Club competed in the MTA Provincial Championships held at the Terry Fox Stadium in Brampton. The first day of racing presented the athletes with the challenge of hot and humid conditions and very little relief was to be found by cloud cover or shade.
Athletes were in good spirits and faced the competition with determination. Joseph Spence put forth a notable performance in the tyke boys 1200m race, knocking an amazing 9 seconds off his personal best time and finishing 2nd overall. When the 1500m races began, Ben Barclay stepped to the line and participated in his first Provincial race ever. He put forth an excellent effort and held a strong pace throughout the entire race and finished with a great time. On Saturday afternoon, some athletes participated in the 400m sprints. Caleb Cleland and Bennett Hustwitt both put their training into action and pushed through the line achieving personal best times and placing first and fourth respectively. On Sunday the temperature was more comfortable as athletes showed up to take part in the 800m race. Breanna Hustwitt started the day off in the Mite girl’s category, and she played it smart and paced herself well and managed to knock 28 seconds off her previous time, finishing the race in third place. For the first time ever at a Provincial championship, our Coyote Mite boys swept the podium. Caleb Cleland, Bennett Hustwitt and Sam Zdybel-Smith took first, second and third and demonstrated some very impressive talent on the track; the team has a bright future ahead of it. On the weekend, the team came home with 6 Provincial medals and the time on the trackprovided some very valuable lessons and experience. All the athletes should be very proud of their hard work and accomplishments. The younger members of the team are now on a two-week break while five of our older athletes will be competing at the Ontario Summer Games in Mississauga on July 21-23. 
Coyotes Compete at Brampton Racers Meet - Jun 19, 2022
Photo: Estelle MacInnes-Wiley, Lydia Menard and Chloe Burgess settle into their pace in the 2nd heat of the Atom Girls 1200m race at Terry Fox Stadium in Brampton.
On Sunday, June 19th, the Georgian Bay Coyotes took a large team of 31 athletes to the Terry Fox Track and Field Stadium in Brampton for their first outdoor race of the season. The eight-lane rubberized track gave everyone a spring in their step as they prepared for the day. High winds made it challenging for the athletes, but many managed to strategically tuck in behind another runner and practice their drafting until they were ready to make a move. Despite the wind, the runners brought home a good number of personal best performances.
For many of our younger runners in the club, this event was the first track meet they had ever competed in. Our young mite runners were forced to race up an age category to be able to enter a distance race and they made us all very proud. For our older racers, this meet was a qualifying meet for the Ontario Summer Games. Several athletes put their names forth for consideration and their times from this track meet will be used to determine whether or not they will be selected to be part of the team of athletes who will participate in the Ontario Summer Games, an event that was first delivered in 1973 by the City of Oshawa. Since then, the Games have grown to host over 3500 participants competing in 19 different sports. The Mississauga 2022 Ontario Summer Games will be the 26th edition. Of the 57 events entered by the Coyote Club, our runners managed to get 43 new or first time personal best times, despite the gusty winds, and 14 different athletes managing to place in the top three in their events with 5 being double medalists on the day. The club will continue to train for the next month in preparation for the Provincial championship races which are held in July. 
Coyote Clean up Day - May 14, 2022
On Saturday May 14th, the Georgian Bay Coyotes and their families and several dedicated community members spent hours doing a community clean up at the track on Aiken street. The entire track was weeded, edged and swept, as were the jump pits. The jump pits were tilled and refreshed with a new load of sand. The bleachers were moved off the track which will allow for heats of runners to be organized on the track once more. Younger members of the club spent time picking up garbage and sticks, removing many hazards from the runways for the jump pits. All this hard work left the track and field in great shape for the elementary students upcoming track and field meets. Many thanks go out to all of those who pitched in to help.
Coyotes compete at BAA meet in Kincardine. - May 12, 2022
Photo: Members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club compete at the 2022 BAA meet. From left: Ethan Mei, Wes Brown, Vani Mahajan, Lindy Kingston
The high school track and field season officially kicked off this past Thursday, May 12 with the first competition of the season. The high school season is short and incredibly difficult, with each meet determining the qualifiers for the next meet; each of which draws athletes from a larger geographical area until ultimately, the athletes get to compete at OFSAA; the Ontario high school championships only a few short weeks after the season begins. Athletes need to be able to run just hard enough to qualify for their next race and not tire themselves out too much as competitions are often less than a week apart and recovery time is short.
On May 12, athletes from our local school board poured into Kincardine for the Bluewater Athletic Association (BAA) meet. The Georgian Bay Coyotes Track club had six athletes competing at this year’s meet; 4 competing for St. Mary’s High School in Owen Sound and 2 competing for GBCS in Meaford. In the Novice boy's category, Ethan Mei finished 1st in the 1500m, Haiden Green finished 2nd in the 3000m and 3rd in the 800m, Denon Taylor finished 1st in the 400m and 4th in the 800m, and Wes Brown finished 7th in the 800m. In the Novice girl's category Lindy Kingston finished 4th in the 800m, 6th in the 1500m and 1st as part of her school’s 4 x 400m relay team. Vani Mahajan finished 2nd in the 800m, 3rd in the 1500m and 2nd as part of her school’s 4 x 100m relay team. Overall, it was a great day for our Coyote Athletes with five athletes qualifying to compete at CWOSSA (Central Western Ontario Secondary School Athletics) this upcoming Wednesday, May 18 in Brantford. We wish them success as CWOSSA is one of Ontario's most difficult regions to progress through. Coyote Set new Provincial Record at 2022 AO U14 Indoor Championships Apr. 24, 2022
Photo: Emmett Leary wins gold in the Boys U14 2000m and sets a new Athletics Ontario Provincial Indoor Championships record in the event.
On April 24 two members of the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club attended the final indoor track and field meet of the 2022 season at the Toronto Track and Field Centre; the Athletics Ontario Rising Stars U14 and U12 Provincial Indoor Championships. The Coyotes Track club has already begun training for their outdoor season so this was a bit of a bonus race for these two young athletes to see how they could stand up against the best in the Province at slightly longer race distances than they are accustomed.
The first Coyote to step on the track was Emmett Leary in the boys under 14 2000m (2km) race. This was the first time that Emmett has raced the 2000m and he had high expectations for himself going into the race. He certainly did not disappoint. When the starter fired the gun Emmett took his usual place at the back of the pack in order to gage the speed of the other runners. With an overall slow start to the race Emmett then proceeded to pass each of the other runners on the very first of the ten lap race and never looked back. With each lap his lead grew larger and when crossing the finish line he stopped the clock in an amazing 6:36.87, beating his closest competitor by more than 22 seconds and setting a new Provincial Indoor record for U14 boys; breaking the old mark set in 2014 by more than 6 seconds. Officials reviewed the timing of the race and signed off on the paperwork to officially recognize Emmett’s time in the Athletics Ontario Record book. The result will now be reviewed by AO officials and hopefully ratified at an upcoming meeting. The second Coyote to step on the track was Nathan Leary in the boys U12 1000m race. There were some familiar faces at the starting line as Nathan has raced against a few of these boys in prior races. Nathan started the race strong and continued to set a great pace throughout the entire race and demonstrated a strong finishing kick. Nathan finished 5th overall with a time of 3:51.45, setting a new personal best time for himself in the process. It was a fun day of racing but now the focus shifts back to training for the outdoor season which culminates with the Provincial championships in late July. The Coyotes currently have more than 35 amazing young athletes ages 7-16 who train at the old GBCS track in Meaford. Coyotes Shine at 2022 MTA Indoor Provincial Track Championships
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