As the track and field season begins, athletes are stepping into competition mode. The team competed in its first meet of the season this past Saturday, finishing fourth overall.
“I am a senior in track and field, and I have been on varsity for four years. The event I have focused on for the past four years is pole vault,” senior Audrey Merchant said.
With district and regional meets still weeks away, early competitions give athletes a chance to test their training and establish personal records.
“Once again, it was my first meet competing for varsity, and I got a PR in pole vault,” junior Vienna Rainone said. “I had worked so hard over the summer to get me to where I am today, and that was just a moment that really showed me that my work was paying off.”
Many athletes use the early part of the season to build momentum and improve from past performances.
“What keeps me motivated is thinking about how I felt last year,” Rainone said. “I was really disappointed in myself because I was not doing so hot in meets. I didn’t put in the effort to train, and it was really showing. So over the summer, I put in a ton of effort, and whenever things get tough, I think about how much I want to improve.”
The program is led by coaches Griffin, Spradlin, Sully, and Woolley, who guide athletes through both individual events and relays as the season progresses. Track may be made up of individual races and field events, but the overall team score and relays make it a collective effort.
“Track is individual, but it’s also a team sport,” senior Brock Chilton said. “You always want to win the meet as a team, and if you’re doing relays, that’s a team because you have to have handoffs around the whole track.”
As the season continues, upperclassmen step into leadership roles and help guide younger athletes through practices and meets.
“I’ve been on varsity track since freshman year, so now it’s kind of my time to be the guy,” Chilton said. “Usually in past years, I haven’t been the fastest, but this year, I can confidently say I’m one of the faster guys, and I’m here to help lead warmups and help the underclassmen.”
