Dreaded beep test conquered by Pacheco, Ware at Rattlers combine

Roughly 40 of the Rattlers male athletes lined up inside the ‘Snake Pit’ gymnasium to close out the camp with the running drill which famously increases in speed through various stages.

Pacheco, who is entering his third year with the Rattlers men’s soccer team, lasted until stage 13 in the drill which sparked cheers from his teammates as he broke the school’s men’s record.

“It felt crazy,” said Pacheco. “You don’t really expect that much noise to be made until you actually hear it. It’s pretty awesome.”

His stage 13 performance bested the previous mark of 12.5, set by men’s basketball players Ahmed Mahadhi and Jaamel Slack.

After dropping off late in the beep test last year, Pacheco said it was a sense of redemption once he heard the stage 13 buzzer.

“I knew I could do it,” he said. “I felt like I could do it last year, so I was really determined to break it this year and I came out and gave it my all.”

Saturday’s women’s beep test title went to a member of the basketball program however, as sophomore guard Rhiannon Ware was the last woman standing.

Ware was able to beat out the field by reaching stage 11, finishing just half a stage behind Rattlers record holder and former teammate Kendell Kuntz.

Photo courtesy of Scott Roblin

Battling a number of athletes from the Rattlers soccer program in the final stages, Ware said is was just as draining mentally as it was on her body.

“As physical as it is, it’s also mental too,” said Ware. “Going against all those people that you’re also running against and all the other people watching, it’s a very mental thing. It’s a fun, challenging thing to do.”

According to both Pacheco and Ware, they felt better prepared for this year’s beep test with experience of running it in their rookie years.

Lessons that they hope to pass on to the new crop of Rattlers who could be gunning for their records in the coming years.

“I hope it sets an example for some of the younger guys coming through to work hard and really push themselves and achieve what they set their mind to,” said Pacheco.

Along with the beep test, Rattlers athletes were put through the paces in the bench press, 40-yard dash, 5-10-5 shuttle run, vertical jump, and standing long jump.

Ware said it’s not often athletes from the Rattlers various programs get the chance to train together at once, which makes the annual combine even more special.

“It’s awesome especially at the beginning of the year, with all these new athletes coming in every year and all the returning athletes,” she said. “You get to see your old friends again after the past few months over the summer. It’s a great day honestly, despite all the testing we have to do.”

Coaches from all Rattlers disciplines were on hand to run the combine and monitor their athletes as they pushed their bodies to the limit.

As Ware put it, the beep test is a necessary evil as it gives teams and athletes a baseline to see where their stamina is at entering the 2019-20 season.

“It’s a huge part of our game,” she said. “We always want to focus that we’re at the best cardio and shape. We have lifting weights, but we really try to focus on the strength of our legs and our endurance.”

The Rattlers athletic season begins on September 7 when the men’s and women’s soccer teams play their home openers against Red Deer College.

MHC’s volleyball and basketball teams meanwhile will get their regular seasons underway in mid-to-late October.

by Scott Roblin

Dreaded beep test conquered by Pacheco, Ware at Rattlers combine

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