Another wonderful season of track is just around the corner, along with new friends, great workouts, and amazing coaches! It’s a place where students can socialize with other people – there are nearly a hundred other athletes of all levels sharing the field. During intramurals, athletes train their bodies by using 30 different types of warm ups each practice even before they start the actual track workout. It’s not for the faint in heart, in fact everyone needs a physical to participate. That shouldn’t stop students from trying the many different events available like sprints, hurdles, distance, jumps, and throws. The hardworking students at track are amazing at what they do, but none of it would have been possible without the dedicated coaches who train, guide, and help the student athletes to reach their potential.
Mike Smith is the head coach of the Shadow Ridge Track Team. As Coach Smith puts it, “I got into coaching track because I also was a track athlete at one time and it allowed me to help others that may not have had the best opportunities and we wanted to give them a place to be welcomed.”
That is what the coaching staff does, helps students feel welcome and pushes them to be the best they can be. A great part about the coaches is that no matter what students have problems with, the coaches can always help them get through their own metaphorical hurdles.
Coach Smith states, “I have a biased opinion about the best part and that’s the specific events that I coach. I coach the 400m and 800m runners. They have to be the best events since you start the track meet with the 4x800m relay and end the track meet with the 4x400m relay. They are the most exciting races next to their individual races.”
The 400m and 800m races are the bookends, but there are so many events athletes can choose from: sprinting, long distance running, hurdling, jumping, or throwing. No matter the event, good times and hard work can be found in any one of them.
Shadow Ridge sophomore, Sawyer Hooge, is starting his second season on the track team. He says, ”My favorite parts of being in track are running, the coaches, and definitely the friends.”
Even though track may not be for everyone, it’s still a great way to stay physically active, meet incredible people, and participate in an awesome sport where everyone can fit in.
Coach Smith also said, “What makes me love track so much is that it’s a sport that no matter your athleticism, age, etc you can always get better. Plus it’s just as much a team sport as it is an individual sport.”
