Track & Field Speeds to a Strong Finish
May 12, 2023
The Track & Field team finished a strong regular season on a high note, with four members qualifying at the final meet on May 5 for the upcoming CCS regional competitions.
From throwing to hurdles many made it to finals ranging from different grades. Sophomores really showed up for their grade with 3 making it to finals this season. Angelica “Ula” Pineda placed 3rd in throwing at their meet following, Oluwafunbi “Funbi” Alamutu placing 3rd in the 100 meter, then Brian Okenwa placing 1st in 110 hurdles. Juniors had a member qualify for finals, Manny in the 110 hurdles!
Tying their shoes, preparing and practicing to do their best, getting in their positions, the Track & Field team worked hard to improve skills and form a strong team bond where runners support each other and get along well with coaches, who push them to do their best.
This year the team included the usual range of races and also a new hurdling team coached by Ricky Grau.
“The new thing this year is the hurdle events,” said junior Yoanfanco Ochoa. “It’s my favorite event to do, it’s awesome.”
From the start of the season, students on the team have shown their passion for the sport. They improved consistently from meet to meet and event to event, until their big successes at the end of the season. Meets have given students and coaches the chance to bond and get to know each other.
“The team when we go to meets work as a team,” said freshman A’Nyrah Green-Frazier. “We work together and it’s really great to know each other.”
Students said the coaches have been really helpful. Coach and Residential Faculty Darren Chan said that some students don’t show up regularly for practice, but that mainly affects their own performance, not the team. While people might think that the attendance problem might affect the team players harshly it really doesn’t. It makes them more aware of what they need to improve on when they come to practice.
“Typically there is a strong correlation between a student’s performance over time and his or her consistency in practice,” Darren said in an email. “Between the coaches, our hope has been for all of our student athletes to have fun getting better every day.”