As the new track season gets underway, the spectators, coaches, and athletes are gearing up. They are getting ready for the months of unforgettable memories, intense competition, and efforts to reach their personal best. Track and field can be seen as more than just a sport to those who partake in it. It’s a test of both mental and physical endurance to beat your best time. This upcoming season is shaping up to be nothing ordinary for our Titans, with high expectations, new rising stars, and the pursuit of greatness.
With a new season comes new opportunities and adversities to overcome. Whether it be the returning members who continue to show up and show out or a fresh face coming in strong, revealing major skills yet to be seen by others, the team plans on coming in hot!
Speaking of new faces, there have been a number of new additions to the team, who are taking the track by storm and preparing to make records here.
“I’m a new face here after transferring from another county. I want to make a name for myself in Orlando, have big titles and records, stay consistent and PR with my performances, and have a good year with my new team. I want to win a state title, get more offers, and stay mentally strong,” Tajhana South (12th), Long jump, triple jump, high jump, 400m hurdles, said.
Track is known as an individual sport, which is true by many means, but it is also a team effort through the deep competition between schools and teams. Therefore, expect old rivalries to be renewed and new rivalries to develop. For all the athletes, the season is merely a stepping stone to find a way to even bigger meets and accomplishments.
Field Events are the other side of track and field. When many people think of track and field, they just think of running and long jumps. But this sport entails way more than that. Often a test of strength and skill, field events include: shot put, discus, and javelin. Here at Olympia, we have a lot of new athletes trying these different events.
“This is my first year doing fieldwork at Olympia, and right now my biggest challenge is staying balanced. It is not my strong suit but I continue working with my coaches, watching videos on techniques, and practicing keeping my balance at practice,” junior Kevin Adams expressed.
“This is my first year at Olympia. My biggest challenge for this season will be being inexperienced in the sport, especially going against people who are 2-3 years older with more experience. However, I feel like I am improving each day by trying my hardest at practice. I have been preparing for this season by working on my technique at home, trying to practice each day, and coming to practice every day ready to work and control what I can,” freshman Mohamed Elsayed said.
“As a freshman, I have been training a lot to improve. My biggest challenge right now is my shoulder. I feel like it is currently holding me back because I am in [injury] recovery. But, I feel like with practice and more training, I will be ready to compete,” freshman Daniel Douglas stated.
Our field event coaches at Olympia, Coach Michael Johnson and Coach John Porter, are experienced with this sport and continue working with new athletes to get them ready for competition this season.
“We start training a month and a half before the season. Starting with technique training, and then we go from there to full throws. As we get closer to the season, we do practice competitions with measurements, and then we go into the season with the mindset and goal of winning states,” Coach John “JP” Porter said.
“We prepare for this season by making sure that our athletes have proper techniques, strength, and mobility skills to perform at a high level,” Coach Michael “Mike” Johnson mentioned.
As coaches with a brand new team of athletes who are unfamiliar with the sport and field events, they’ve also faced a couple of obstacles (no pun intended) along the way.
“The only current challenge we are facing right now is trying to get enough kids who can throw far distances because everyone is brand new, and we don’t have any returners. Trying to get everyone to throw far distances is a learning curve, but we are working towards sticking to this program that we have implemented as coaches and doing skills and drills every day, and the kids will eventually start throwing far distances by trusting themselves as well as the process,” Coach JP expressed.
“The current challenge we are facing is finding new athletes willing to throw, and for current athletes, having them understand and complete the proper movements,” Coach Mike stated.
What makes Track and field so special is the ambiguity of it being a combination of individual players, but also bringing together the team spirit. Every athlete on the line competes for a personal best, but still, their performances are taken as a whole to contribute to the success of the overall team. This, seemingly individual yet team sport, sheds a special light on what it means to come together as a family. While also teaching core values, we can’t take away from what everybody is here to see– the speed! Track teaches speed and endurance while building resilience through all aspects of life. Whether it’s bouncing back from a slow time, pushing through with an injury, or even containing your nerves for a big meet, track athletes develop a mindset of perseverance that goes beyond the track!
With each event thrown at our Titans, this season is sure to bring moments and memories of victories, letdowns, and, most importantly, inspiration! Our athletes will make an effort to write new stories and break old records. Whether you’re in the stands, cheering on your team, or a coach, training your athlete, get ready for the true spirit of track and field!
