With lots of rain come lots of mosquitoes.
With that in mind, the recent buzz in southern Manitoba was how the area had become a mosquito club med.
But there was one locale where the buzzing was of a different nature.
It was at the International Peace Garden that the focus was on Deloraine athlete Rebecca Manshreck.
One of 90 plus athletes attending the advanced track and field camp at the 44th Legion Athletic Camp (July 17-23), Manshreck had come for the experience.
“This was my first year of track camp and I was coming to learn,” states the 15 year-old Manshreck. “I have good coaching at school but not at this level (featured are coaches of current and former international status) and here they have better equipment. I wanted to learn.”
And learn she did.
On Saturday (July 23) head coach Wayne McMahon called out her name to be part of the 36-member Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario track team to compete at the 2005 Legion National Track and Field Championships to be held August 4-11 at the University of Alberta’s Foote Field in Edmonton.
“When they called my name I was totally shocked,” admits the 5-foot-7 Manshreck, who has also reached summer acclaim in the sport of baseball as part of Team Manitoba bantam girls heading to Fredericton, New Brunswick.
“During the week I was able to improve my technique and I think I got better. The coaching made a difference and being around other (athletes) who have the same interest was also a motivation.”
She will be competing in the girl’s under-15 long jump and high jump.
Of her upcoming exposure to the Legion national meet, where up to 400 athletes from across the country will compete, she states: “It’s going to be scary and I hope I do well. It’s going to be a hectic summer.”
Other southwestern Manitoba athletes to make the cut include Baldur’s Kayla Kynoch, Carberry’s Travis Waterhouse and Peirson’s Alex Arndt.
Of the 36-member team a total of 15 are from Manitoba and 10 from rural Manitoba.
Approximately 80% of Canada's national track and field team has participated in the Legion program, which started in 1975, including 2004 Olympic team members Émile Mondor and Kevin Sullivan.
Past Olympic and world championship medallists who have gone through the program include middle distance runners Angela Chalmers and Charmaine Crooks, decathlete Michael Smith and sprinters Atlee Mahorn, Glenroy Gilbert and Robert Esmie.
The nationally sanctioned event includes a training camp and is for athletes ages 12 to 17.
The Legion Athletic Camp offers 10 sports over six weeks from July 10 – August 20 and still has openings available in the sports of basketball, elementary, equestrian, judo, soccer and volleyball.
Phone 1-204-661-5448 or check out www.legionathleticcamp.com
Rebecca Manshreck results at 2005 Nationals:
