Longtime CCHS cross country and track volunteer coach Chris Hegg was honored for his many years of dedication and service to the kids at the Polar League cross country meet. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
Longtime boys’ and girls’ volunteer cross country running coach at Cook County High School, Chris Hegg, was honored for his many years of service and dedication to coaching kids at the Polar League Conference championship meet held at Pincushion on October 10.
Surprised, Hegg, the meet’s race director, had to suspend his duties for a few minutes to accept an award he didn’t know was coming his way.
Although he is no longer head coach, a title now held by April Wahlstrom, Chris still volunteers at cross country meets and helps train the kids in cross country and track.
After the races had been completed and while Chris was announcing individual medal and team winners, another Chris, Chris O’Brien, interrupted the ceremony briefly to give Chris the award.
O’Brien is the president of the board that oversees the North Shore Superior Ski & Run Club. He told the audience that Chris was responsible for re-launching the dormant CCHS cross country running program in 1999.
“At that time, and for several years, the program was sponsored by the North Superior Ski and Run Club (including Chris’s generous financial contributions). The funding responsibility for the cross country running program was transferred to Cook County Schools several years ago. Chris was the full-time coach for the program until 2009,” O’Brien said.
In 2004, Chris took responsibility for keeping the track and field program alive at CCHS after the school decided not to fund it. Chris became the voluntary head track coach, and once again, the North Superior Ski & Run Club, as it had with cross country running, agreed to sponsor the program. The funding responsibility for the track program will be transferred to Cook County Schools in 2020.
“Chris has continued to play a key role in both the cross country running and track programs, organizing and managing all home meets, including the Polar Conference meet that takes place each year in October (today’s event),” O’Brien said. “Chris also directs the popular Fisherman’s Picnic run each August.
“Chris continues to be an active and competitive runner himself, competing in several races each year over different distances,” said O’Brien.
Last year Hegg finished third in the Minnesota Runner of the Year series in the 65-69-year-old age bracket. The top placers have to race in at least five different sanctioned distances from one mile through 30k, with the best times used to see where one ranks in that distance.
O’Brien finished his remarks with the following, “The cross country running and track programs have become a highlight of Cook County Schools’ athletic program, very popular and competitive, including runners competing at the state championship level. Chris’s leadership and energy are a key reason for this success.”
As for the surprised meet director and announcer, he said it had been his pleasure to work with the kids and watch their progress through the years. Then it was time to get back to announcing the all-conference runners. Anne Hegg, Chris’s capable wife who is always on hand to help, handed out the medals. Nearby, Viking coach April Wahlstrom, who has spent 10 years tirelessly working with Chris to build the cross country and track program, ushered her boys’ team to the winner’s circle for a picture on a perfect day for cross country.
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