Aberdeen Christian brings back several key contributors on its track and field squad who will play a major role for the Knights this season.

Sam Bjorkman returns for his second season as head coach of the squads. He said his expectations for the team are more about inputs than outputs this season.

“My most basic, most central expectations are really around inputs rather than results,” Bjorkman said. “That’s what I’m focused on is kids showing up every day at practice focused, dialed in, believing that what we’re going to do is going to make them better.”

On the boys’ side, the Knights return senior Abe Kretchman, who placed fifth in the triple jump and eighth in the long jump at the state meet last season. Kretchman was also part of the 400-meter relay squad that placed fifth at the state meet. Bjorkman said Kretchman will be a leader for the team this season.

“Abe is a mentally mature athlete,” Bjorkman said. “His discipline in the off season is very impressive. His focus at meets has gotten very good and he excelled under pressure last year. Beyond that, he’s developed into a leader which has been so good for our team this year already.”

Fellow seniors Jackson Isakson and Andrew Brennan were also a part of that relay team, and will be major contributors for the team as well.

“All three of those guys will be a part of a solid 4X1 this year on the guys’ side,” Bjorkman said.

On the girls’ side, Christian has had past success in qualifying for state in the 3,200-meter relay. The Knights return three of the four runners in that event, including Grace Steger, Katie Steger, and Rachel Beaner. Bjorkman is hoping that relay team can have continued success this season.

“(We’re) hopefully looking to push that if we can find a fourth person for that relay,” Bjorkman said. “Hopefully we can push that a little bit higher. They’ve never been able to place at state.”

The Stegers and Beaner were also contributors in the 3200-meter run. All three finished in the top 15, but failed to land on the podium, something Bjorkman wants to see this season.

“It’ll be interesting to see how much they can improve on those,” Bjorkman said.

The Christian girls also placed fourth last year in the 400-meter relay at the state meet. That relay returns three runners, including Ali Isakson, Payton Skarin, and Shawnteah La Croix.

La Croix, a freshman who took third place in the 200-meter dash and eighth place in the 100-meter dash last season, will be a key runner to watch for the Knights. Bjorkman says La Croix has the potential to do big things this season by building off of last season’s success.

“Shawnteah is a strong young athlete. She found her competitive fire last year and really excelled as the final meets of the year came on,” Bjorkman said. “It seems like she has a lot of potential. She’s grown a lot even in the last year.”

The Knights schedule includes a trip to the Howard Wood Relays in Sioux Falls, and Bjorkman says that is a meet he and his team are looking forward to.

“Howard Wood is always something we have our sights set on because it gives us such a good preview of what the state meet will be like,” Bjorkman said “It seems like who places at Howard Wood winds up being in the finals in the relays at state, and also individual as well.”

Bjorkman also noted that the Howard Wood Relays are a good rehearsal for the athletes before performing at the state meet, considering the state meet often takes place at the same facility in late May. Bjorkman also said there are many quality meets around Aberdeen and northeast South Dakota as well.

The weather has certainly been a factor early in the season for most schools, but Bjorkman said he is thankful that it hasn’t impacted his team in a major way so far.

“We had a couple of snow days but other than that it hasn’t had a huge impact, thankfully,” Bjorkman said. “Just really grateful that the booster club got us some really good indoor equipment.”

Bjorkman pointed out that he would like to get some of his athletes out on the grass and other surfaces, but also knows that inclement weather needs to be expected this time of year.

“If you’re betting on being outside before April, we’re probably too far north for that, so you just have to expect it, and it shouldn’t hopefully come as much of a surprise,” Bjorkman said. “You never want to focus on what you can’t do. That just handicaps you. I’d rather be able to just focus on what we can do, and there’s a lot we can get done indoors.”

With the returning talent, the expectations are high for the Knights, and Bjorkman says he wants to see progress made this season.

“If we can have that and just see these kids mature, that’s more of what I’m focused on,” Bjorkman said. “Whatever happens, we can’t control the outcome.”