It is that time of the year again, and the Lady Warriors track team is prepared to make a statement. After coming up one point short in outdoor track and field state finals last season, the team is more motivated than ever to win it all.
Now, the indoor track season is much different from the outdoor season. From the material they run on to the different events there are, indoor track can yield completely different results than outdoor track.
“Running one lap around 200 is different from 400 based on the turns, and the surface is softer outdoors,” senior Laila Smith said.
Another difference between the two is the pure space that athletes are allotted during their events. Unlike in outdoor track, runners specifically are bunched together right up against the crowd.
“Indoors the facility is so much smaller, so when you’re running you can literally see and feel people right next to you,” senior Jila Vaden said.
Still, the indoor track season is just as important as the outdoor one because of how telling it can be for how the rest of the season turns out. The Lady Warriors have been preparing for this upcoming season by holding indoor practices many times each week in an effort to train athletes to be at the best of their ability.
“I’m looking forward to competing, getting better as a team and improving from last year,” Smith said.
Last year, the Lady Warriors, along with their male counterparts, won the conference title for indoor track, and that will be a milestone they hope to reach once again. To do this, though, they will need to be on a more united front, which is something of which the leaders on the team have taken notice.
“[We are] working on being together instead of everyone individually,” Smith said.
Of course, track being a sport where people individually compete for the good of a team, it is important to have athletes who will make a significant impact on the team. Some girls to watch for this indoor track season, according to the team captains, are seniors Smith and Vaden, juniors Madelin Nouel and Kaylana Jackson, sophomore Samaya Smith and freshman Kira Smith.
In terms of how these athletes go together and how they compete for each other, the chemistry between teammates is very important to the team and has been a main focus of improvement.
“I think the team chemistry is better than last year,” Smith said. “We are still getting to know people.”
Overall, the Lady Warriors are excited to get to work this season and do everything they are capable of doing.
“We’re tired of losing by one point, so we’re coming for everything,” Vaden said.