by Spencer Thomas
“I am so excited for them and couldn’t be prouder!” commented coach Mark Albert, veteran Hamilton teacher-coach, when asked about his team this year. Albert completed his 20th year of coaching this season with the great pleasure of passing two exceptional athletes on to the University of Montana, Lane Cole, and Colter Kirkland. Albert has high expectations for these two young men. “The ceiling is very high for both athletes. Colter is an outstanding all-around athlete (starts on our basketball team and took 3rd in the state pole vault) while Lane is just beginning to see his own potential with the recent commitment to training. We saw him make significant strides the last two seasons.”
And Albert knows a thing or two about developing great athletes. He’s advanced nine cross country runners and five basketball players to the next level during his tenure, which is sadly coming to a close. The veteran coach plans on retiring from coaching and teaching this year and will leave the developed program to his successor. “Our girls took 5th at state this year and we have our top 6 back while our JV boys team had a perfect score of 15 at this year’s Western A conference meet…so the future is bright for the next coach.”
The Broncs were the favorites going into this season, “We returned all 7 runners from our 2020 state title team, but it was the hard work by all the boys in the off-season and in-season as well as their commitment to winning another championship that put us back on the podium this year.” Kirkland, the main player in that victory for him was, “battling through injury and staying motivated to run to help my team win the state title.” He ran a 16:53 at state that placed him fifth among the over one-hundred runners. At the end of the day when he and the team learned that they were state champions again in 2021, the young runner replied, “It was just straight excitement especially knowing we won back-to-back titles.” Now, looking forward to the future, the senior runner hopes to finish his track season strong, shooting for “1:53 in the 800 and 4:15 for the mile.”
Once track season ends it’ll be off to Missoula where the senior plans on running for the University of Montana and studying business. “It’s close to home and the area I love so it was quite easy to choose. Also of course the U of M track and cross country teams seem great as well as the coaches.” Kirkland is excited for the future ahead and looks forward to meeting new people, and maybe some old friends too in Lane Cole who will join Kirkland on the track team.
The last two seasons have been particularly good for the Broncs who not only won state last year but had a first place from Colter Purcell, who will not be pursuing a running career. “This team will definitely go down as the best,” said coach Albert. “I was grateful for the opportunity to lead this program for the last 20 years and develop such amazing relationships with my athletes.”
This era of Bronc runners will definitely be remembered and so will the veteran coach Mark Albert.