Spring track starts up while winter sports come to an end
Junior Erin Cleary runs around the track during the first week of practices. The track team got only five practices in before storm Stella hit. “My goal for this year is to make it to districts. “I work hard at practice every day and try to get my height up for pole vault,” Cleary said.
With the season ending for most winter sports teams, it was only a matter of time before spring sports like track and field kicked off. The boys’ and girls’ track teams held their first practice March 6. The athletes usually practice inside Martz Hall for the first week of the season. Some athletes prepare year round with trainers in the weight room.
Many track athletes also play winter sports, so as soon as one season ends, they have to start focusing on the next. Those who participated in winter track are transitioning right into spring track already trained for their events.
“This is my fifth year doing track. I like how competitive our team is as a whole. Winter track kept me in good shape for the start of the spring season,” junior Brenna Nagle, distance and mid-distance runner, said.
Whether they join track for the social, competitive or fitness aspect, the two months of the season go through many stages while the athletes practice five days a week. The first stage starts with preparation for events. After the regular season is finished, athletes have events such as the Schuylkill Relay hosted at Pottsville and other invitationals. The best times and scores qualify athletes for leagues, and if they are really good, they can make it to districts.
“I’m ready for track season. I do high jump, long jump, hurdles and pole vault. I like my events because they all involve jumping, and pole vault is especially really exciting,” junior Kevin McKeon said.
With their first meet March 23, athletes had less than a month to prepare.
Throwers, pole vaulters, jumpers, sprinters and distance runners all start off by stretching each day then going their separate ways after to focus on their events. Many do stations of exercises that entail activities such as planks, star jumps, crunches and sprinting up and down the stairs.
“I’ll start with general conditioning and athletic movements and try to move slowly into technique. The goal is always improvement for all throwers,” Mr. Bill Rhoads, throwing coach said.
The preparation to give track athletes a good foundation to make leagues and districts starts now as the spring sports season starts.
“I made it to districts last year, so I hope I can do even better this year and make it to districts again,” junior Erin Cleary said.