After virtual track meets last year and no meets the year before, the Boys and Girls Track and Field teams are back to in-person, competitive meets. Mr. Nathan Seidenberg serves as the head coach for both teams consisting of 62 athletes. According to Coach Seidenberg, “This is the first real competitive track season we’ve had since Covid, and just getting the program back online is a big thing.”

On April 23, both track and field teams traveled to Deerfield for the 62nd Hunt Relays. The Boys placed second in long jump with Anish Reid ’23, Alex Tolis ’23, and Jamil Pandey ’23. Driseth Anderson ’25, Owen Zinn-Keane ’22, and Oliver Johnson ’25. Huck Whittemore ’22 placed second in the 4x400m relay while Zinn-Keane, Axel Nzi ’24, Chase Dobson ’23, and Whittemore also nabbed second in the 4x800m relay. On the Girls’ side, Paige Dzenutis ’23, Julia Widen ’24, and Anji Ashaye ’24 secured second place in the long jump. They also secured second place in the 4x100m relay thanks to Christa Prasertsintanah ’23, Emily Wang ’25, Mackay Bommer ’22, and Fati Salifu ’22.

The two teams headed back to Deerfield on April 30th for a tri-meet, where Dobson placed second in the 3000m, Whittemore earned third place in the 1500m, and Dzenutis won the long jump and placed second in the high jump for the Girls. Inaddition to the Girls earning second in the 4×400, Sydney Jean ’23 and Leanna Wells ’23 placed first and second in the shot put, respectively.

Whittemore, a captain of the Boys team, stated “We went into it knowing we would have some stiff competition, and overall I think we put on a good showing at both meets. Our biggest takeaways were that we aren’t phased by big meets or tough competition. Our largest issue was our struggle with depth.” Kadie Singh ’25 said, “After a long time without competitive meets, our team definitely looks to build off the loss and re-establish our position in Founders track.”

This goal of re-establishment was supported by Whittemore, who also said, “Hotchkiss is perennially a powerhouse in Founders track and we look to maintain our reputation, especially on the girls side of things, as they seem to be competing very well.” He also went on to say, “Our goals are much more procedural than quantitative this year, as our team is small, so we prefer to focus on the process of getting better and doing our best before we get hung up on what place we get.”

Becoming a force to reckon with is no small task, and both teams look to new runners for help. Mr. Seidenberg said, “Driseth Anderson, a Prep, has been running well in the 400m… For the girls team, Kristian Maxwell ’25 has really done a good job for the team. Emily Wang ’25 has been a good addition to the sprinting group.” Veterans also continued to improve throughout the season. According to Whittemore, “the majority of us have made great strides in our personal improvement.” Singh has also stated, “Practices are really efficient and great for team bonding. I definitely feel as if we all get better each and every day.”

As the season progresses, the Boys and Girls Track and Field teams hope for additional improvement and further success during a season with the revival of competitive meets.