For some, it's the destination that makes it special. For others, it's the journey.

Either way, qualifying for the PIAATrack and Field Championships is a very special accomplishment.

Area coaches see to it that their athletes know that, especially those making their first trip to Shippensburg University, which will host the finals Friday and Saturday.

"For the kids who have not been there before, it's 'Hey, it's the same event, the same track, same implements, same routine. It's just bigger and there's more athletes,'" said Butler coach Rick Schontz.

"The hardest part is making it there," he added.

With a packed Seth Grove Stadium, getting in the right frame of mind can make all the difference.

""We tell them this is the better part of the season," said Moniteau girls coach Sue Scialabba. "We're not talking medals, just talking personal records."

"You take them to bigger meets and get them used to that," said Union boys coach Denny Stewart, now in his 32nd year. "You get them to be mentally relaxed.

"At this point, you're not going out just to show up. If you are, you may as well stay home," he added.

That won't be a problem for the Knights' Toby Best (javelin) and Mike Brothers (high jump). Best set a school record at the District 9 Class AA championship meet and Brothers tied the school standard.

"You go out and do the best you can and accept what happens,"Stewart said.

"You just have a normal workout, a normal routine," said Karns City girls coach Ed Kepple. "Some of the girls were concerned when they saw the seedings and some were near the bottom, but 10 or 12 names above them are less than a second apart.

"You don't look where you're seeded, but where your time was,"Kepple added.

"If you go out to the state meet and do your personal best or better, you did a good job," said Gremlins boys coach Don Black.

Seneca Valley coach Wayne Roccia is sending out a boys 1,600-meter relay team that has broken the school record in consecutive meets: the WPIALNorthern Qualifier and the WPIAL finals.

Along with the foursome, he has WPIAL Class AAA champion Ashley Turici and Da'Lynn Mills, both making their third trip to states while the Raiders' other qualifier, sophomore Jen Boyd, is making her first trip.

"That experience should work in their favor," said Roccia of Turici and Mills. "It's Jen's first trip out, but it's good for her because the other two will be a calming effect. They all look pretty solid."

The Knoch boys will have the most athletes (eight) of any area school at Shippensburg, including a 3,200-meter relay that was a half-second away from winning the WPIAL title, and the 1,600 relay, which surprised many with its fourth-place showing at WPIALs.

Also, Kyle Reeping was a WPIAL champion and could be a strong contender in the 800.

"We've been talking about this since the end of the cross country season," said Knoch boys coach Wess Brahler. "Our boys believe they deserve to be here."

Some interesting notes:

• There are 68 Butler County-area athletes who qualified for states and 11 of the 12 schools in the Butler Eagle's coverage area are sending representatives.

• Butler, Seneca Valley, Mars, Freeport, Moniteau, Karns City and Grove City have both boys and girls qualifiers.

• Karns City junior Xandria White, who never ran track until this year, qualified in four events (100, 200, 400 relay, long jump), while Moniteau's Haley McFeaters (200, 400, 1,600 relay) and Amy Gladd (800, 1,600 relay, triple jump), Knoch's Kyle Reeping (800, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay) and Karns City's Mark Ferguson (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 400 relay) have qualified in three events.

There are 15 other athletes competing in two events.

• The Butler boys have five athletes in the state meet, with the five in five different field events, while Freeport has five athletes taking part in seven events, including six field events.