By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

For eight families in Goessel, the idea that track and field might run in the family is very personal.

Sixteen members of the 2022 Bluebird track team are siblings.

Included in the eight sibling pairs are two sets of twins. Timothy and Jacob Schrag and Aibbigail and Aimee Funk have been playing together, competing against each other, and sharing birthdays all of their lives.

The Schrag brothers are now seniors. Both have been on the varsity cross-country team, the basketball team, and now the track team for their senior year.

The duo helped the cross- country team finish fifth out of 12 schools at a state regional last fall.

In addition to sports, the brothers excel musically.

“Sometimes we compete in the same event in track, but this year not so much,” Timothy said.

Although they compete individually in several events, both are part of the Bluebirds’ 4x800 relay.

“We did not intentionally pick different events to participate in,” Jacob said. “It just happened this year.”

The Funk sisters are freshmen and have found their names on the varsity roster for volleyball, basketball, and track and field.

Speed and quickness would characterize their athletic abilities as they both started the track season competing in sprint events as well as the 4x100 relay.

Abbigail recently won her weight class in state power-lifting, but her track season appears to have ended with a foot injury.

Aimee continues to excel in sprints and earns points in long jump and triple jump.

Two other sibling pairs are three grades apart — a senior paired with a freshman.

Skyler Wuest has earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and golf and now participates in track and field.

His sister, Brooklyn, a freshman, has been on the varsity volleyball and basketball teams and leads the girls’ team in multiple events in track and field.

“It does not always work out to watch each other perform,” Skyler said, “since many events are happening at the same time. But we try to cheer each other on whenever we can.”

Brooklyn agreed.

Ben Olson was a leader on the cross-country team that competed at state last fall and excels in the 1,600-meter run.

Brother Levi also chooses to participate in distance events in track and field. Long distance races seem to run in the family.

Emily and Jake Flaming are a senior and a sophomore, respectively.

Emily has been a varsity player in volleyball and basketball for several years. She participated at the state track meet last year.

Jake found a spot on the football team and also plays basketball for the Bluebirds.

Conversations at home regularly swirl around the tough practices they both have had at the track.

Logan and Grant Bryant are a freshman-junior combination.

Logan joined the volleyball and basketball programs, and Grant has been quarterback for the football team as well as contributing to the basketball program.

Both siblings compete in hurdle events, and each runs in two relays.

Lyna and Alece Lehrman are a senior-sophomore pair.

Is there any trash talk at home about who scored more points?

“Yeah, we talk some smack. Oh, yeah!” laughing older sister Lyna said.

Alece and Lyna participate in completely different events in track and field. Lyna has excelled in volleyball and basketball and has been a track competitor for several years. Alece played volleyball for Goessel last fall.

Kacen and Koy Smith are a junior and a freshman, respectively.

Kacen was a leader on the football team and played varsity basketball. Koy participated in football and basketball and will have the opportunity to compete with his older brother for another year in high school.

Is there a benefit to having a sibling on the track team?

Unanimously, the 16 athletes responded that they support each other and know they have support regardless how they do.

For a 1A school, Goessel has large numbers of athletes on its track and field team. With multiple entries in many events, the team hopes to score enough points to win the Wheat State League as a team.

In the first six track meets of the year, the girls have finished in the top two five times and the boys have four times.

Goessel hopes to have qualifiers in multiple events for the prestigious state track meet May 27 and 28 in Wichita.