Florence-Carlton starts Cross Country Team
August 16, 2011 5 Comments
Big Sky, Florence-Carlton create co-op cross-country team
By LINDSEY GALIPEAU for the Missoulian | Posted: Saturday, August 13, 2011 7:00 pm |Comments
Two schools become one this autumn for cross-country season.
Big Sky and Florence-Carlton high schools have signed a three-year cooperative sponsorship agreement that creates a co-op cross-country team.
Florence students will practice at Big Sky and travel with the team for competitions. They will follow the same rules, pay the same fees and compete at the same AA level.
Florence-Carlton activities director Sam Baerlocher said the idea of a co-op was tossed around for years, but finally generated enough interest to prompt the move.
“It’s something that we always have looked into,” said Baerlocher. “Not always does it work out. We’re just fortunate that everything fell together.”
Baerlocher said Florence-Carlton put out “feelers” before officially asking schools to work with them, and Big Sky seemed like the perfect choice.
“We knew that Big Sky still had some openings, that they weren’t completely full,” said Baerlocher. “They showed interest that they would open arms accept us.”
Brian Fortmann, Big Sky vice principal and athletics director, said he liked the idea of a co-op, but couldn’t agree without talking to the school’s cross-country coach Paul Marron.
“I wanted to have an opportunity to talk to my coach,” said Fortmann. “I wouldn’t move without his input. He was in favor of it all.”
“We actually spoke about it several years ago,” said Marron. “It didn’t work then and they were interested and so we just agreed to it.”
Both schools benefit from the agreement. For Florence, the kids get to enjoy a lifelong sport.
“It gets our track kids and our cross-country kids more opportunity to participate,” said Baerlocher. “They’re great kids. They’re kids that like to work hard.”
For Big Sky, the benefit is friendship.
“It builds a relationship between other schools,” said Fortmann. “We’re looking forward to it.”
“It’s just a positive experience for all the kids involved. If we can help out we’re more than happy to do so,” said Marron.
Big Sky is already participating in a co-op with Loyola’s swim team. They renewed their original agreement and begin their fourth season this winter. Fortmann said the Loyola agreement is working out well. He expects the cross-country co-op to do the same.
Baerlocher said Florence-Carlton wants to have its own cross country program some day, and the co-op is a perfect launching point.
“It’s a great way, instead of jumping in with both feet, starting a program and seeing if it’s going to work or not,” he said. “It’s a learning process. We can go in there for three years and hopefully we can develop a program ourselves eventually.”
Posted in State-and-regional on Saturday, August 13, 2011 7:00 pm | Tags: Running, Cross Country Running, Florence, Carlton High School, High School, Sports, Paul Marron, Big Sky
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