Track is a popular spring sport for multisport athletes, and a way to get outside and meet new people. Let’s check in and see how the team is feeling this season.

Behind every good team are good coaches. Head Coach Casey Hanson works alongside several other assistant coaches and volunteer Sean Lumpkin who train the team. To the team, balance in the sport is needed and they feel that is delivered well by the coaches. “Our coaches push us, especially with the workouts they design. They want us to be the best but they don’t push us over it. So they will have good recovery days and make sure that it’s not just all work, like we have fun Fridays,” sophomore Will Seymour said.

The sport of track appeals to many different social groups and student athletes, making the team diverse and well rounded. Students enjoy meeting new people and creating relationships with those in other grades.“My favorite part of track is the people that are in it because there’s so many different events like field and running. You meet so many people you maybe normally wouldn’t hang out with inside of school. So just like the relationships I’ve built. It’s my favorite part,” senior Mallory Mathwig said.

Though track is some athletes’ main sport, it isn’t for everyone. A majority of students say that track benefits them in their fall and winter sports, and is more of a way for them to keep in shape and exercise during their off season. “For me, I look at track as training since all the running we do will definitely pay off in my other sports too,” Seymour said.

Though track may be misconceived as an individual sport, many events rely on hefty teamwork and bonding. “The only way you can win is as a team. It’s not like you just like you’re not running for yourself. You’re rooting for the team so that you do well for the whole team. You know you gotta work super hard. We put in so much effort during practice. So we hope we can come together collectively and have a good showing as a group overall,” Mathwig said.

Over the weekend of May 12th, a few members of the team qualified and competed in the next level of track called “True Team.” “In a True Team, the top athletes from each event compete and then after everyone does their event, the whole team’s score is added up. And if your entire team does well enough, then you qualify for true team state,” senior Diego Adair said.

Mathwig, a member of the True Team, shared her thought process as she prepares for her race. “I was really nervous for the first race because I was the anchor in the 200. So I was the last runner and like waiting for everybody to run until it gets me so it is really nerve wracking. Plus, when you see like other people do handoffs before you and you haven’t done your hand off yet, it’s also kind of motivation because then you’re like, okay, now I have to run a lot faster for my teammates,” Mathwig said.
Taking home 2nd place for the girls team, and 5th for the boys team, BSM track proved that their hard work paid off.

Along with the fun of track, much success has already come this season. Senior captain Anna Lervick created a new school record for the triple jump, jumping 36 feet three inches. Many personal records have been set as well by several team members and the team is only going up from here. “I’m excited for these upcoming meets though because I feel like we have a good chance to compete this year,” Lervick said.

Another fun addition to the program would be their Friday cookouts. Set up by the coaches and team, this activity allows the team to bond after their practice and have something to look forward to every once in a while. “The cookouts are maybe my favorite. We had a cookout last Friday. And that’s just a good bonding experience,” Mathwig said.

Overall, track is loved by many. The athletes are coached to the level they want to be based on their work ethic. As some students are more “into it” then others, each athlete gets individual attention based on their wants and needs on the team. “It’s a little bit more of a relaxed environment compared to other sports but that’s what makes it awesome. The coaches as well as the leaders of the team try to push athletes as much as they are willing but make sure not to make it too serious or not enjoyable,” Lervick said.

Lots of accomplishments have already been made by the team so far this season, and it’s only getting started. The track team will continue to thrive and make a name for themselves. We look forward to seeing what big things the team does next and hope to cheer them on at the state tournament.