On May 11, 2024, Athens Drive Track and Field athletes will be going to Regionals; those who have qualified will represent Athens and compete for a chance to go to the next level at the state-level competition. The Track and Field team has had an extremely successful season, with multiple school records being broken and many athletes qualifying for regionals already. One of those athletes, Ella Anderson, is a sophomore distance runner who has qualified in three events.
“I qualified individually in the 800 [all events are tracked in meters], and then we qualified as a team in the 4×800, and I qualified in the mile a couple of days ago,” said Anderson.
(Photos by Dan Loughlin)
The Athens Drive running programs include cross country teams, who qualified for states as a team during the fall sports season, as well as both indoor and outdoor track and field. Field events such as shot put and discus are two events which Athens qualified for. These events are only done during official track and field seasons in both the winter and spring while running is the only sport at Athens offered year-round. This year-long cohesion creates special bonds between athletes, and unique dynamics compared to those in other sports.
“During practice, we run together, and we work out together, and it’s very team-based, which most people would think ‘oh its track, it’s very individual based’ but [with events] like the 4×800… I run with these girls year-round,” said Anderson.
While there are a few who live and breathe track and field, that is not always the case. Track and field is not a way of life for most runners- of all of the sports at Athens, track and field is one of the most lenient for runners who participate in other extracurricular activities.
“I haven’t been there a lot; I am doing theater too. I’ve been going to what I can go to… My coach for track is super chill, ‘as long as you keep running, [quoting Coach Anderson]”’ said Gaby Barcelo, sophomore.
Because the three seasons are back to back, there is a lack of breaks for runners, even in the summer. Once spring track and field seasons end, cross-country summer workouts are quick to begin. There are many pros and cons to the continuous seasons; a stronger team dynamic, more practices, and chances for improvement, but there is always a threat of exhaustion and overworking the athletes. However, those who participate in field events, or do not do cross country get to take the extra season off to partake in other sports or enjoy the break.
“ [during the fall] I’m a football manager… and another season… I did volleyball for my sophomore year. But it was my junior year when I was a football manager that I’d workout, so during the summer I’d do workouts, either at practice or workouts at home. Normally in the off-season, I’ll go to the gym every day,” said Keren Mikobi, senior.
With regionals coming up, those who have qualified are beginning to prepare. For players like Mikobi, that means not just physically preparing but getting into the right mindset to win and do the best they can.
“It’s really about my mindset. I don’t want to bring myself down because earlier in the season, I have brought myself down a couple of times where I am too hard on myself; but it’s only because I really want to make it,” said Mikobi. “So I’m going to start with my mental health, making sure that I’m mentally there for myself.”
The track team continues to chase their past highs. Earlier this year, the Athens Drive cross-country team qualified for regionals as a team, something that does not happen very often. Celebrating as a team is vital to every sport, and having and keeping those relationships with fellow athletes that will last forever. But before celebrations can begin, they have to put in the sweat and hard work.
“Running every day, doing workouts twice a week, and racing the more practice you have. The more extensive the better, but also listening to your body and raking one day off…mentally preparing myself for doing something hard and pushing myself to the absolute limit,” said Anderson.
One of the major meets that track and field have as they get towards the end of the season was April 13-14 in South Carolina, where many people hoped to qualify, for the first time, or for athletes like Anderson, to qualify for more events.
“The more people that qualify for regionals the more we get to represent [the] school at regionals, so representing [the] school is always fun. It gives you the opportunity to qualify for states through regionals. So if you get top four at your event you get to go to States, and that’s the goal for everyone, to go to states,” said Anderson.
