With a handful of athletes and a lot of heart, BMS takes its first steps into competitive track and field
There are no flashy uniforms. The javelins didn’t make it. And the track? It’s a loop carved out on a soccer field. But for Belleville Mennonite School, this isn’t just about athletics—it’s about starting something that’s never been done before.
The Thunder have officially launched their first-ever spring sports team: track and field. It’s not a big team, and the gear is still trickling in, but head coach Scott Falkner sees more than just a bunch of kids running in circles. He sees potential.
Starting from zero, but not standing still
There’s no blueprint when you’re building from scratch. Falkner, who spent years coaching at Indian Valley and Lewistown Area, knows this all too well.
Some days, it’s about getting the sand pits ready. Others, it’s marking out a 400-meter loop with cones and chalk.
“One step at a time,” Falkner said. “You’ve gotta be patient.”
His voice isn’t frustrated. It’s hopeful.
That patience is paying off, slowly but surely.
The Falkner duo: coaching meets commitment
It’s a family affair for the new program. Stacey Falkner—Scott’s wife and the school’s activities director—is also on the coaching staff. She brings her own deep roots in the sport, having coached jumpers at Lewistown for 15 years.
Between them, the Falkners have decades of track and cross-country coaching experience. Now, they’re rolling up their sleeves to give BMS students a shot at something new.
“We didn’t have any spring sports,” Scott said. “It just felt like the right time. Something to get kids moving, engaged, proud.”
perfect, but it works
The training conditions? Well, let’s just say they’re “creative.”
One-sentence paragraph: Distance runners are putting in their mileage on nearby roads and ridges.
There’s no traditional track yet, no hurdles, no high jump mats. But that hasn’t stopped them.
• The school’s soccer field now doubles as a 400-meter loop
• Long jump and triple jump pits were recently filled and finally usable
• Shot puts and discuses arrived just in time for practice
• Javelins? Still lost somewhere in a warehouse
Still, the kids are showing up. And that’s the win right now.
It’s about more than medals
Sure, there’s hope to compete soon. Maybe even surprise a few folks at local meets. But Scott isn’t pushing expectations too hard.
Right now, the focus is on team culture, not championships.
“This is about giving kids something to belong to,” he said.
A team of 10 or 15 kids might not turn heads at big meets, but it turns the tide at a small school. That’s the kind of thing that builds confidence, keeps kids engaged, and lays the groundwork for bigger things down the road.
The future? Still unwritten—but it’s looking up
Will BMS one day have a full team, complete with uniforms, hurdles, a proper track, and maybe even a district medal?.
But for now, they’ve got something arguably more valuable: momentum. A reason to stay after school. Coaches who care. A sense of pride.
Scott and Stacey Falkner didn’t sign up for the easy route. But they’ve got a track record—literally and figuratively—of building things the right way.
