Through rain or shine, each afternoon more than 100 students head down to Sprole field and get ready to run.
The Boys and Girls Track and Field teams are coming off a successful season last year, and is looking to continue its dominance this spring.
The team is the largest on campus, with more than 100 students on the roster. With so many athletes, there are a plethora of seasoned track and field stars, mixed in with many athletes either new to the team or the school as a whole.
The large size of the team is due to the variety of different events within track and field. There are different athletes who run 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m races, as well as hurdles, relays, and field events like shot put, to name a few.
The division of the athletes between events allows for more personalized coaching, as well as insuring that the team does not feel crowded. The number of athletes also allows students to make new connections. Jon Coffy ’21, said that “I’ve gotten closer with a lot of people that I didn’t really think I would have relationships with throughout the course of the year.”
There has been a lot of positive discussion around mentorship on the team. Because there are so many experienced and inexperienced athletes in each event, the more experienced athletes have become leaders and examples for the inexperienced ones. These relationships foster long-term bonds between the students and also better prepare them to step up to the plate when needed.
The environment on the team fosters support and hard work, encouraging students to push their limits and be the best they can be. Hurdles Coach Patrick Boor said, “Having athletes who know the event really well, who have been improving since Prep year, has made my job easy.”
Injuries throughout the season have caused inconsistencies. Because there are so many athletes, someone is always able to step up and compete, but injuries to the key players in their events have caused uncertainty for the team. Being able to rely on individuals to win their events is crucial to beating other teams, and injuries have limited the team’s ability to do that this season. Boor said, “We’ve overcome a lot of [injury-related] challenges. Even when we have novices in certain events, the kids have stepped up.”
Track and Field emphasizes competetive success, but, at the end of the day, athletes compete against themselves. This philosophy has led the team to sustained success. If athletes do their best and get a new PR (personal record), the scoreboard will follow. Boor said, “You want your athletes, whether they’re jumping, hurdling, sprinting, distance, to try to run their fastest times.”
The Boys and Girls Track and Field teams both finished 2nd at the Founders League Championship, which the school hosted on Saturday, May 14.