Running helped a Foothills Comp grad handle the pressure of athletics and achieving high grades.
Now, some runners are helping the grad make the grade when she tackles university in the fall.
Emily Gushulak received the Big Rock Runners Scholarship during a small ceremony at the Okotoks Recreation Centre after the club’s recreational run on Saturday.
“Running has always stood out to me as a very interesting and athletic activity and sport,” said Gushulak, who graduated from Foothills in June. “I have been in a lot of sports team but running is a hidden passion – an escape in the world.
“I have always enjoyed it and the scholarship has motivated me to continue to be a runner and further my education in athletics.”
Gushulak, who played volleyball for the provincial-qualifying Falcons, will study kinesiology at the University of Calgary.
Her studies may help her figure out exactly what is wrong with her knee she injured while playing volleyball.
“I couldn’t run cross-country because I was having knee problems,” Gushulak said. “But I did run 5K in a duathlon in High River (July 29) so I am still maintaining an athletic lifestyle with running.
“It was really fun to get out there – I love the relationships you get through running.”
She developed her love of running as a Grade 7 student at Okotoks Junior High School, under the guidance of cross-country coach Joanne Lafferty.
“She had a big influence on me. She reached out to me and said ‘you should come out for cross-country,’’’ Gushulak said. “Her support and encouragement helped me both as an athlete and a student.
“I haven’t been able to run cross-country, but I do run on my own about three times a week now on my own.”
She received the scholarship due to her academic standings, athletics and the essay she had to submit.
“I wrote about what running has meant to me,” Gushulak said. “How it has been an outlet to help me with success. I have achieved a lot in academics and running helped give me a balance in life… Running has made me a more well-rounded individual. It allowed me to grow athletically, but it is a mental escape mentally.”
Although the $500 will come in handy to buy books and school supplies, she’s also glad to make a connection with the Big Rock Runners.
“They are kind of what running means – it’s all about different levels, building relationships and being active in a fun way,” Gushulak said. “I am interested in getting more involved with them and kind of reaching out to other people – ‘Hey try this.’
“No one likes running until they get into it and they realize what it can do them.”
One of her first involvements may be the Sheep River Road Race on Sept. 15 in Okotoks.
“Right now I am trying to find that balance between how much I can run while being able to maintain comfort,” she said. “I will have to check what university is like, but if I am in shape and I am available, I will definitely get involved with it.”
The Big Rock Runners are young at heart. It has annually given out the scholarship. It has also started the Okotoks Track and Cross-Country Club for young athletes, which will begin practice on Aug. 8 at the Crescent Point Regional Field House.
The Big Rock Runners host a drop-in recreational run at the Okotoks Recreation Centre. For more information about the Big Rock Runners go to bigrockrunners.com
