Sweet success for LJH team

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Lake Junior High School’s Academic Triathlon (AT) team, X012, took first place at the state tournament of the United States Academic Triathlon (USAT) on Saturday, April 18 at Minnetonka Middle School West, Excelsior.

The four-member team of eighth graders Suraj Shah, Rishab Humar, Jimmy Griebel and seventh grader Ashwin Chetty were the champions in the Cross-trainer Division, Blue meet.

The team was coached by Manali Shah and Priya Humar.

The victory was even sweeter for the coaches and their sons because after competing in the AT tournaments for four years, this was the first year that the team won the regional meet and qualified to participate in the State Tournament. This was also the last year the eight graders were eligible to compete.

Thirty teams from various Minnesota school districts vied for top honors. The teams were divided into four groups: Blue, Yellow, Pink and Green. The Blue and Yellow groups were teams of seventh and eighth graders, the Pink and Green groups were teams of fifth and sixth graders.

According to coach Manali Shah, “the Academic Triathlon is a fun event for students as well as coaches. To be the winning team and ‘going to state’ is something that most of the teams aim for.”

“The USAT is for the children. It is a chance for them to become able thinkers. It fosters team spirit and teaches them to be accepting of each others’ ideas,” says Peggy Sheldon, founder and national coordinator of the USAT.

Typically in AT, three round robin (scrimmage) meets are held in December, January and February and culminates with regional play-off tournaments in March.

The winning team at each regional play-off earns the chance to participate in the state tournament.

Each year, more than 220 teams from various Minnesota school districts participate in AT meets.

Tags: education, lake, junior, woodbury, academic, triathlon, x012