Overview
Cross Country Running and Indoor Track are among the seven varsity sports that Medicine Hat College takes part in. Any academically-eligible MHC student is able to join, train, and compete with the Rattlers Running team.
The Rattlers Running team is inclusive and diverse. While previous competitive running experience is very helpful, brand new runners are more than welcome to join. Successful varsity runners have made the transition from a number of other sports including basketball, soccer, boxing, swimming, triathlon, hockey, football, ringette, and curling. International students are encouraged – in recent years the team has had student-athletes from Colombia, South Korea, China, Japan, and the Philippines. Age is also not a barrier – the 2021 Rattlers had two mothers over the age of 35 on the roster.
The MHC Rattlers play in the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference (ACAC). Currently, 11 Alberta schools compete in Cross Country running. Each year, the top ACAC teams have the opportunity to qualify for the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) National Cross Country Running Championships in early November.
The varsity cross-country running season runs from the start of September to mid November. Typically, the team races about 4 or 5 times during that timeframe. The racing distances are 6 km for women and 8 km for men. The team has a practice or race four times a week during the xc season, and you are expected to run or workout additionally once or twice more per week.
After the cross country season is over, the team continues training throughout the school year and participates in the ACAC Indoor Track season, competing in 2 or 3 indoor meets and the ACAC Championships in March.
Program History
MHC has had a long history in cross country running. The College had a team throughout much of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The 1981 Rattler women were ACAC champions. Sadly, the College dropped out of cross country running in the early 2000s and was without a team for nearly two decades.
In September 2020, MHC restarted the varsity cross country running program. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, the first season was pretty low key – 4 Rattlers runners participated in a few local and regional events. The ACAC did not run a 2020 competitive cross country season.
After a one-year hiatus, the ACAC resumed cross country running competitions in September 2021. The Rattlers took part in four ACAC races that season, including hosting the ACAC #1 race on its home course at the MHC campus. At the 2021 ACAC Championships in Camrose, both MHC teams finished 6th in their inaugural season of Rattlers 2.0. The Rattlers also qualified two teams for the 2021 CCAA Championships in Calgary in November. The MHC men finished 12th, while the women were 14th at Nationals. The Rattlers also took part, as an exhibition school, in the ACAC Indoor Track season. The women’s 4 x 400m team won a bronze medal at the 2022 ACAC Indoor Track Championship.
The Fall 2022 season represented a quantum leap for the XC program. The MHC men improved to 5th place at the ACAC Championships and placed 15th at Nationals. However, the MHC women were the big story of 2022. The ladies won the ACAC #1 race on their home course and placed second in two other ACAC races. At the ACAC championships, the women beat St. Mary’s University in tie-breaker to capture MHC’s second-ever ACAC XC Gold medal. The women went on to place 6th at the CCAA Championships, hosted by MHC.
Individually for cross country 2022, both Becky Ross and Maddy Scrimger achieved ACAC All Conference honours. Ross was also the ACAC Rookie of the Year and a CCAA All Canadian. Coach Bill Corcoran was also recognized as both the ACAC and CCAA XC Running Coach of the Year.
In January 2023. the Rattlers debuted in their first official indoor track season. The team won four medals in the championships including the school’s first gold medal – a win in the women’s 3000m by Becky Ross.
The 2023-24 season was another strong effort from the women’s cross country team. Led by Becky Ross (silver medal) and Maddy Scrimger, the team finished 4th and qualified for Nationals in Truro, Nova Scotia. In indoor track, Scrimger won three individual and one relay medal in the ACAC Championships to become the most decorated Rattler’s runner in school history.
In 2024-25 the women’s cross-country team ran to a tenth place finish at CCAA Nationals. Maddy Scrimger had another stellar year, earning the ACAC individual bronze medal in cross-country, gold (3000m) and silver (1500) medals in indoor track, and All Conference honors in both cross country and indoor track.
Coaches
Bill Corcoran – Rattlers Running Head Coach
Bill has been coaching college running for 30 plus years. Full Coaching Bio
Sean Freeman – Rattlers Indoor Track Co-Coach
Sean is a long-time athletics coach who is well-versed in all track and field events. He coordinates the sprints and relays for Rattlers Indoor Track.
Click on the Varsity Athletes link to find out more about the team.
In addition, the Official Rattlers XC Running Site contains more information about the Rattlers Running program.
Rattlers Running 