The East Kootenay Track and Field Club (EKTFC) has found some help on the coaching front; however, they need board members to keep the club afloat.
Steven Royer has stepped up and is willing to take on a role of a coach, but hopes other people will also take a lead in being on the board to help this club succeed.
“I live in Kimberley, and my objective was to coach and start a track and field club in Kimberley, but now that this door has opened for me I am quite willing to do both communities, and we will work together as a team to make sure the kids from Kimberley can come over to Cranbrook and vice-versa,” explained Royer.
In the new year, Royer is going to find out if his National Coaching Certification Program certificate will be grandfathered — if not he’s willing to go get a new one.
“If they don’t, I’m still going to pursue it. It’s still going to happen, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure this club does not shut down,” said Royer.
Royer has been a runner for more than 40 years. When he was 12 he joined a track and field club, and only a couple years later he was coaching.
“I always got excited when they got a PR (personal record) in every track meet they went to. When you see that kind of results because you helped them, it gives you goosebumps,” said Royer.
After track and field, Royer has been competing in marathons, he has done the Victoria Marathon 15 times. Royer has been a 100 kilometre Canadian Champion twice and competed in the World Championships
Promotion is going to be a big aspect as they try to get people involved with the track and field club. Royer has already started to spread the word around the area.
What he likes about track and field is the fact kids get to develop at their own rate and their own level.
“I support either if they want to become an Olympian — I can coach them to become an Olympian — or if they just want to come and improve self-awareness, I can do that too,” said Royer.
The club has set a deadline of Feb. 5, 2019, for a meeting to find and fill board member positions.
“We need a board because we don’t have any existing board members that are staying on, other than myself. I will stay on as a board member and be a liaison coach, but I’m taking a big step back,” said Jennifer Doll, outgoing president and head coach, EKTFC.
Positions to be filled include secretary, treasurer, vice president, president and board members. The positions Doll describes do not take up a lot of time out of the year.
“We need a minimum of five members to keep our non-profit status and for it to carry on as a club,” said Doll.
At a minimum, Doll said the board needs to be filled because coaches will fall into place eventually.
“As long as we have one person in a club format that is a head coach with a certification if there are volunteers that want to come forward – parents. The coach can oversee that they are facilitating kids appropriately,” said Doll.
For more information about the club, or about joining the board people can email EKTFC1@gmail.com or through Facebook Ektfc Track Field Club.
