SANDPOINT — Many of the top youth cross country runners in the country will toe the line on Saturday at United States Track and Field nationals in South Carolina, and among the ranks will be Sandpoint runners Trey and Ara Clark.

Trey, a fifth grader, and Ara, a fourth grader, attend Kootenai Elementary, where their mom Carleen Sandell is a teacher. The pair ran all summer with the North Idaho Track and Field Club in Coeur d’Alene, and after a strong showing at regional meets in Pasco and Seattle, each qualified for the nationals in Myrtle Beach on Dec. 13.

Track and field runs in the family, and the Clarks are coached part of the time by their grandfather Carl Sandell, a former high school track coach in Montana. He said his grandkids just love to run long distances, and he calls their trip a pretty big deal.

“It’s just amazing to me. They love it, they want to do it,” says Sandell, who puts the kids through practices at the SHS track and Travers Park. “They’re anxious to practice, love their teammates, work really hard and they’re both competitive.”

To earn the rare chance to compete at the national level, the siblings first had to place high at a regional meet in Pasco, Wash., where they earned the right to attend a cross country meet in Seattle. Trey finished eighth among more than 100 runners in the 9-10 year-old boys division, and Ara finished 26th, as the top 30 earned a spot in nationals.

Carleen is proud of her kids’ accomplishments, and plans to travel back to support them at nationals.

“It’s pretty neat that a couple of kids from North Idaho have the opportunity to compete nationally,” describes Carleen, noting the Coeur d’Alene team has helped her kids advance their love of the sport. “I am really proud of their efforts as they prepare for nationals, and I’m excited that they can represent our area.”