Tried And True Track Stars Anchor Freeman Becky Brown And Marc Reed Help Motivate Scotties

A pair of four-year, three-sport athletes are the heart of this year’s Freeman girls and boys track and field programs.

Seniors Becky Brown and Marc Reed provide both ability and necessary leadership for his young teams, says coach John Hays.

“They are our only four-year letter winners,” said Hays. “The two of them together get practice started for the others.”

Brown has, in essence, been Freeman’s distance running program all that time.

She qualified for state as a freshman 3,200-meter runner in track and for the past three falls represented the Scotties in state cross country. She also played basketball.

Reed was a two-way All-Northeast A League football player and started for a basketball team which just missed qualifying for state.

He reached state in track as a freshman member of Freeman’s sprint relay team and again last year in the triple jump. He’s currently trying to overcome a hamstring injury. “I’m hoping for a school record in the triple jump,” he said. “With the injury, I don’t know.”

Brown is also seeking her niche for one more state track performance.

“It’s my last chance,” she said.

Last weekend she may have found it. In the Freeman Invitational at Central Valley, Brown finished third at 800 meters behind a pair of returning state qualifiers.

“She ran the 800 for the first time since her freshman year,” said Hays. “She has a shot to go.”

Brown said she first started distance running in seventh grade at the behest of her father and cross country seemed to be her strong suit.

She finished third in the 3,200 in district track as a freshman, placed sixth at 20:53 in cross country as a sophomore and was ninth the past two seasons to reach state.

“Now that I’ve got my height, I’m a little more sprinter and middle distance runner,” she said.

She’s holding together Freeman’s young relay teams as well.

“We’ve never had a full relay team and finally we’re solid,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll keep healthy.”

Last weekend Brown ran 2:36.6 in the 800 and the 1,600 meter relay team placed first.

Reed’s career has been equally gratifying, first as the lone freshman on a sprint relay team that included three seniors.

“I felt I was kind of riding along with them and did not want to screw up,” he said.

Last year he triple jumped 41-11 to win district and make another state trip.

“It felt good to do so individually,” he said.

Both athletes are planning to attend Community Colleges of Spokane and continue their athletic careers. Brown said she prefers cross country.

“Running around a track, it’s hard to keep focused,” she said. “In cross country you feel you’re going someplace.”

Reed would like to try basketball after feeling the exhilaration and ultimate heartbreak in a narrow loss to heavily favored Chewelah in district.

“To feel you have it and then realize you lost was really exciting - and very disappointing,” he said.

Right now they must set the example for their young Freeman track teammates.

“Whether they listen to us or not, I don’t know,” said Brown.

Reed said they get their points across.

“I think we can get them to do pretty much what we want,” he said.

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