With numbers still growing, Lumberjacks kick off new season at first indoor meet
Mar. 24—BEMIDJI — Spectating the Craig Haugen relays at Bemidji State's Gillett Wellness Center, three Bemidji High School students approached boys track and field head coach Steve Sneide. The students had been taking in the Lumberjacks' first meet of the season on Tuesday, but what they were watching got them inspired.
They asked Sneide if there was still time to join the team. "I was like, 'Yeah (of course),'" Sneide said. "So they came to watch and they want to be a part of this.
It's kind of fun. We're building something that everybody wants to be a part of, which is cool to see. " Track has become one of the hottest sports to join at BHS in recent years.
In 2025, the Lumberjacks recruited over 50 freshmen to join the track and field team. This year's class almost equaled that number, with around 48 freshmen joining. No one could be happier about it than Sneide and girls head coach Brian Berntsen, who have worked hard to build a welcoming culture focused on personal improvement.
"We even tell these kids, you don't have to be the best track athlete on this team, but it's going to help you maybe become the best soccer player on the team, or the best football player, the best basketball player," Sneide said. "This will translate into your other sports. " With a large number of underclassmen, senior leadership is all the more important.