The return of warmer weather means the return of outdoor track and field. Track athletes are now able to return to competing and practicing outdoors on the school track.

Both boys’ and girls’ teams are looking to improve from last year. “Compared to last year, I feel that this year will be focused on individual events and preparing the underclassmen relay teams. For the boys’ sprinting team, our best relay team will be the 4×400, but the distance team will probably show similar strength to previous years on both the boys’ and girls’ side,” senior Ambrose Devine said.

While the team’s main goal is to win and cut down their times, Devine believes that there is also another goal for the season. “This season I feel that we will be focused on finding some new young future talent on the sprinting side because a fair number of seniors decided not to run,” he said.

Some of the coaches that coached last year return again this year. Coach Redmond coaches the distance runners, coach Thomas is the head coach, however he mainly coaches sprinting. Coach Febles coach jumping, and Coach Portes, who recently graduated, helps with the throwing. The coaches are truly able to help the athletes because they are all specialized in one area. “I enjoy working with Coach Redmond because she really helps the distance runners improve their time and form,” freshman Lauren Ullman said.

Some athletes participate in outdoor track to get in better shape for their preferred upcoming fall sport. “I signed up for track to run with my friends and help prepare for the upcoming fall soccer season,” freshman Spencer Bernal said.
Their first meet is the Friday Night Spikes event on Mar. 23. They will be competing against Churchill on the road, too late to be covered in this issue.

At the moment, it is probably too early to make any season predictions. “I can’t make too many presumptions since its really early in the season, but I think we’ll do well in our first meet,” Devine said.

Ryan Ullman

Senior Sports Editor