How did the varsity team do last season and what are your expectations for this season?
We had a good season last year, placing 4th in the league. This year, we look forward to the league championship and everything we do throughout the season is to prepare for that meet. Our distance team is incredibly strong and we’re as good as anyone in the league. We’re going to be very competitive this year.
How does the team stay in shape and prepare for the season?
We try to avoid injury by doing too much, too soon. The distance runners and some of the track runners are on the cross country and indoor track teams, so that keeps them in shape. We do get some that don’t participate in either and they just join us for outdoor, so they’re all fresh. To prepare those guys for the season, we start in late February and have two weeks of getting into shape so they’re ready for the first meet. The guys work on increasing mileage and we race our way into shape going from competition to competition.
How many meets will you participate in this season and how many events take place at each meet?
We will compete in five dual-meets, where only two teams compete against each other, and about five invitationals. Then, we will end the season with the championship. A typical track meet will have four relays and 14 events. Sprints include 100m, 200m and 400m. Middle distance consists of 800m, 1 mile and 2 miles; hurdles are 110m and 300m. The different field events are long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, discus and shot put. We have guys participating in each event and usually there are three varsity guys and three JV guys per event and a couple relays.
Are there any athletes on the varsity team who stand out this year?
Yes, our cross country group has been outstanding on the track. The best of the bunch is probably Tyler Spear ’13. He is an excellent 1-mile and 2-mile runner. Ted Terpos ’13 is also a very good distance runner. Connor Cunningham ’14 and Dominic Piedmont ’13 are two of our best sprinters. Connor is also a long and triple jumper and is one of the best in the state. We also have John Horton ’13, who is a very good discus thrower, and Kyle O’Malley '14 and Spencer Schenking '14 are two very talented pole vaulters.