SPORTS WRAP
A state football quarterfinal game is coming to Owatonna High School this fall. Federated Field will host a Class 4A game in November. The Huskies are a Class 5A team. If they qualify for state, they will play at a different field.
OHS hosts the Big Nine Music Festival next April. Owatonna had the section True Team meet in May, plus the state student council convention and Minnesota Supreme Court this past school year.
Activities Director Marc Achterkirch says visitors continue to be amazed, “Incredible. They’re like, ‘This is not a high school. This is a college.’ I have had so many people, even some that have been repeats, ‘I just cannot believe how beautiful this school is.’
“They walk through the music suite and the auditorium. Then they go down and see our nursing care lab, and they see the culinary arts lab. They’re just blown away at the opportunities that the kids in Owatonna have, not just in the activities, but more importantly in the academic side.”
The Big Nine gymnastics meet is coming to Owatonna next year at the gymnastics center at the old high school, which is now their regular home.
Website change
Big9.org will be no more. Achterkirch says fans should surf to gobound.com, “A lot of people have already been looking at Bound and looking at schedules. Bound has been in Iowa for a long time. They’re across the nation.”
He says nearly every school district in Minnesota is switching, “When we set up non-conference games, conference games they have to be the same…People can go to (gobound.com) right now.”
Not every schedule is complete as the transition continues, “Parents can go in, see their son or daughter’s schedule, look at the calendar, how to get notifications. So, if I have to cancel or postpone an event, they’ll get notifications on their phone. A lot of the same tools that we had that our folks were used to.”
He says the school will switch from GoFan Ticketing to Bound Ticketing. Go to owatonnaactivities.com for more information.
Family and coaches
In reflecting on the success of spring sports, Achterkirch spoke with Owatonna Live about the girls golf team, which has gone to state the last two years, “What’s special about that golf team is they are truly a family. They look out for each other. They’re such a tight knit group. Not just the girls. The coaches included. The parents. Coach (Maddie) Meyer, coach (Beth) Fink they set the standard and created that culture.”
He’s impressed with the variety of events that Owatonna track was represented at state, “Coach (Kevin) Stelter (for the boys) does such a great job. Coach (Robb) Winterfeld with the girls, he’s got them moving in the absolute right direction. I’m so happy with that staff and what they’re doing. There’s so many coaches on track.”
The Huskies boys won their fifth straight section title and placed 14th at state. The girls were second in the section.
Rodeo Nationals
Ella Koch of Owatonna is in Oklahoma this week for a national rodeo. She told Owatonna Live last fall, “I have technically been doing the rodeo events all my life. But I just started doing junior high rodeo to get (better) in events and help push me.”
She qualified for the National Junior High Finals Rodeo June 21 through 27 in Girls Breakaway and Team Roping, “It’s a hard sport but it’s really fun in the end and it’s really rewarding. And you get to meet a lot of cool people.”
About 1,200 contestants from 43 states and several foreign countries are competing for prize money and college scholarships in the world’s largest junior high rodeo. Athletes are enjoying social time, volleyball, shooting sports, family activities, church services, and a trade show as well.
Koch has enjoyed horseback riding most of her life, “I remember going on trail rides when I was younger with my family and friends…Everyday riding was fun to learn how to ride a horse.”
Her brother Mike also competes in rodeo. They get plenty of practice on the family farm in Owatonna.
.5K Beer Run
The competitiveness level was low but the spirits quite high for the 4th annual Young Professionals of Owatonna Beer Run on Saturday, June 20. Held at Mineral Springs Brewery about 150 walkers and runners took to the path, more than a few carrying a beverage with them.
The big winners are the Owatonna Area Special Olympics who are receiving funds thanks to the participants plus sponsors including ASCEND Development, MSB, Old Town Bagels, Owatonna Shoe, William Tuttle Agency, Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and Y-Pros.
Owatonna Special Olympics provides for a variety of year-round sports and activities for approximately 100 local athletes. If you want more information or want to volunteer as a coach, reach out through Facebook or contact me.