WELLINGTON COUNTY – Julie and Hansen DeBoer recently experienced something not a lot of siblings get to do – a chance to showcase their track and field skills on a national stage.
Julie, 17, and Hansen, 15, are Fergus students determined to become professional track athletes.
Their passion was sparked after seeing their older sister run track for her high school.
“I occasionally joined in with a workout at the school and I really enjoyed the running environment,” Julie told the Advertiser.
In Grade 6, she began taking track and field seriously and continued running in high school.
Hansen also took the opportunity to run with his older sister and would participate in high school morning practices with Julie.
Two years ago the pair joined the Laurel Creek Track and Field Club based in Waterloo Region.
“[The club] has some amazing coaches,” said Julie.
Training
Leading up to the Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships in Calgary, both DeBoers had to train and qualify with specific times.
“There [are] quite a few races you can compete in leading up,” Julie said.
From May to August both participated in school and public meets to qualify.
To run the 1,500 metre race Julie beat a time of four minutes and 50 seconds.
To run the 1,200 metre race Hansen beat a time of three minutes and 28 seconds and to run the 2,000 metre he beat a time of six minutes and 24 seconds.
“For me I’m not much of a mileage guy, I don’t run as much as maybe other people,” Hansen said, referring to his training methods.
“The other top guys are probably pushing out more kilometres but my body just accepts lower kilometres.”
Julie added, “Hansen and I like training with lower kilometres but we think it’s more of the quality over quantity.”
She explained the pair trains year round but specifically for distance three weeks in advance.
Nationals
After achieving their qualifying times, Julie and Hansen flew with their family to Calgary for two days of intense competition.
The championships have been hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion for over 50 years.
The Legion Nationals is the only nationwide competition for U16 and U18 athletes.
“There was quite a lot of people, it was very busy” Julie said.
She remembers walking outside their hotel and “there would be a whole crowd of athletes ahead of you,” she said.
This year nearly 1,000 young Canadian athletes competed for medals from Aug. 8 to 10.
Asked if the pair was nervous moments before the race, Hansen replied, “I think people take the feeling differently … other people get more nerves [but] for me I just get excited and want to go.”
The same goes for his sister.
“I get really excited about how far I’ve come and want to see if I can do better,” Julie said.
She noted she enjoys pushing herself to the limit on race days.
“It’s really cool to run the track against some really good competition,” Julie said.
“These people have trained for months and I really respect how good they are.”
Hansen placed second in the U16 2,000 metre race and third in the 1,200 metre.
Julie placed fourth in the U18 1,500 metre.
Hanson DeBoer (far right in left photo) and Julie DeBoer (far right in right photo) ran for Laurel Creek Track and Field Club at the Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships in Calgary on Aug. 9. Photos by Louis Beaudoin/Athletic Canada
“It’s amazing to experience it together and it really makes it a lot of fun,” Julie said.
“Combining both our milestones almost makes it bigger,” Hansen added.
“It’s not all the time you have two siblings that have the talent we both have.”
Every year the Legion celebrates a certain milestone. When Julie attended nationals for the first time in Grade 9, it was the championship’s 75th anniversary.
This time, the Legion celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands.
According to Julie, the swag they received was all orange and 80th anniversary-themed.
“That was pretty cool especially because our grandparents came from the Netherlands, so it was special for them as well,” she added.
The experience made the two feel like professional athletes – a feeling they will continue to chase.
Julie noted she and her brother will remember the experience for a long time.
The siblings plan to continue training, with Julie hoping to carry her passion into post-secondary athletics.
Hansen plans to focus on the upcoming cross country season.
