Growing track team expected to do great things

Sarah Kamlay '06 - News and Copy Editor
The Lancer

With a larger team, a new assistant coach, and growing team spirit, the track team is expected to do better than ever.

"We have three times as many kids as last year," head coach and English teacher Travis Neville said. "It is possible we may not lose." It is said that the team has more athletic ability this year than in any other recent year. However, team members sayd they could still use some help.

"We need more girls on our team," Neville said. "Specifically, we need more female distance runners."

New assistant coach, Wayne Poole, brings a lot to the team as well. "Coach Poole brings discipline, desire, and many years of experience," Neville said.

Track members appreciate the new coach, as well.

"I love Coach Poole," senior Kiara Gholston said. "He is nice, funny; and 1 think he will push us to our full potential."

Students say they run track for a number of reasons.

"Track is competitive and fun," junior Trevor Opalewski said. "It helps you to do your best at all times because you know that what you do in practice will reflect how you do in a meet. You don't want to cheat yourself."

Gholston likes it for another reason.

"I like it when you hit the rounds of the track, and the wind hits you in the face," she said. "And 1 like that feeling you get when you cross the finish line."

Being on the track team isn't easy all the time.

"Big meets like regionals and other big stuff [aren't very fun]," Gholston said. "You feel so pressured because so many people are there."

Opalewski felt differently.

"[I least like] the days coming back from a weekend to practice," he said. "It is very tough."

The difficulty that goes with running track won't stop those athletes from being successful, according to the coaches.

"Our number one goal is to put something on that track banner in the gym," Neville said. "It shouldn't be empty."

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Lancer Photos by Derek Ginzel '06

This story appears in the April 2006 issue of the award-winning LANCER, a publication of South Lake High School's Journalism program.

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