Wings of America picks national cross country teams and coaches

On Dec. 28, Wings of America announced the 2006 all-Indian Junior Cross Country teams that will compete at the USA Cross Country Championships in New York City Feb. 18-19.

Wings Junior Women's team includes: Chantel Hunt, Navajo, Window Rock; Rochelle Kanuho, Navajo, Flagstaff; Katrina Lee, Navajo, Page; Arlinda Mitchell, Navajo, Gallup, N.M.; and Tiffany Sorrell, Navajo, Window Rock.

Wings Junior Men's team includes: Philbert Brown, Navajo, Gamerco, N.M.; Craig Curley, Navajo, Ganado; Kempton Jackson, Navajo, Gallup, N.M.; Dustin Martin, Navajo, Albuquerque, N.M.; Ryan Nez, Navajo, Fort Defiance; and Brian Vallie, Crow, Hardin, Mont.

The Wings junior women will race on Saturday, Feb. 18 and the junior men will race on Sunday in Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, New York City in New York. The races are the qualifier for the USA team to the World Cross Country Championships to be held in Fukuoka, Japan in April.

Also, Wings announced the volunteer coaches for the USA Cross Country Championships. As a former Arizona State University runner, Alvina Begay (Navajo) will lend her expertise to the young women. She is currently works at Sage Memorial Hospital as a registered dietitian. This past fall, she was a volunteer assistant coach for the Ganado High School cross-country teams.

Theo Martin (Navajo), former cross country and track All-American for Northern Arizona University and Olympic marathon trails qualifier, will coach the young men. He currently lives in Page and teaches elementary physical education. He also coaches at Page High School, which has been very successful in cross country. He is married and has four boys.

Regional results

Wings of America is pleased to announce the results of the 2005 Foot Locker sponsorship recipients. The regionals were qualifiers for the National Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, which has been called the premier high school cross country event in the country. The following results are from the 2005 Footlocker Regional Races.

Midwest results (Kenosha, Wis., Nov. 26):

• Alex Wilson-Pine, Oglala Sioux, 128/362, Seeded-Boys, 16:30

• Tyrone White, Cheyenne River 232/362, Seeded-Boys, 17:03

• Daniel Grassrope (Developing Runner), Lower Brule Sioux 107/242 Nike Open Race 19:46

West results (Walnut, Calif., Dec. 3):

• Terra Brown, Navajo, 20/138, Senior-Girls .20:56

• Katrina Lee, Navajo, 74/121, Seeded-Girls 20:38

• Craig Curley, Navajo, 36/231, Seeded-Boys 16:31

• Dustin Martin, Navajo , 58/231, Seeded-Boys 16:46

• Brian Vallie, Crow, 66/231, Seeded-Boys, 16:51

• Donovan Tsinjinnie, Navajo, 116/231,Seeded-Boys 17:21

• Weston Jones, Navajo, 119/231, Seeded-Boys,17:21.