by Marcus Baker

Back again with another year of the Red Devil track team. It doesn’t begin with medals or crowds; it starts with sweat, sore legs, and a belief that this year will be different. 

As JHS runners get back into their old routines, they have been having conditioning practice, such as weight lifting, practicing running on the track, jumping mats, pool workouts, and training their legs and form. They prepare before they head back to their actual practice, which began Feb. 9. 

They use “Sports You” as an app to communicate with their coaches and check for any information that is needed for their athletes. 

There are five coaches on the track team. Sam Mull is the head coach. Klarissa Early is the new distance coach. Kim Zink is in charge of the throwers. Carlis Phillips is in charge of the sprinters. And Lucas Couron is the pole vault coach.

Mull’s goals for the season are to continue to grow and develop technical skill sets for his athletes and avoid injuries for their safety. He said his best way to handle a pressure situation is by setting rules and goals for each individual. The workouts vary in discipline, but they all follow the same basic outline, he said.

Early’s goals for this season are to help everyone become mentally tougher and more disciplined as the season goes on. She wants to learn how to use her strategies to help her long-distance athletes get better every day. 

Each event group has at least one leader who guides their team:  Long-distance group — senior Larry Lucio;  girls’ long-distance group — Keira Jackson; sprinter group, senior Elijah Cheeks;  girls’ sprinter group Emliy Perissi;  and throwers’ group, junior Jomall Owens. 

Athletic director A.J. Moye said he plans to help the team by “offering my presence” and being a “servant” for the coaching staff and athletes. 

Lucio is most excited to run the 4x800m relay and the open 800m. He is preparing in the off-season by eating well and staying fit for when the season comes. 

Lucio started running in middle school and did it for his friends, and when he moved to Indiana from Texas, he just naturally joined the team. He says motivated to keep going when practice gets hard by talking to his friends and teammates.  

He doesn’t like to tell himself anything before the start of the race, like instantly, he likes to clear his head and focus on the race while trying to bring his heart rate down. 

“Distance running isn’t a race to beat others, it’s about outlasting the voice in your head telling you to stop,” he said. 

Jackson is excited to start the 1600s as a new event in her last year of high school. Jackson has been training extra hard with savory fitness and running on her own to prepare for track season. Her parents inspired her to keep pushing, so she doesn’t give up on herself. 

Her goal is to “rock this 1600s because I will be good at it.” She said she always looks up at God, knowing that he puts her on this earth to run. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” said Jackson.

Junior Jayden Kelly is excited to compete in the 110 mh and 300mh. After his short last season, he is looking to improve and progress to be able to compete and possibly win the state. He’s been preparing by lifting weights and staying in shape during off season while working on improving his hurdle form. 

He ran track since elementary school, but the people who really inspired him are his coaches and teammates. His one goal is to compete at state. When practice gets hard, he reminds himself of his goals, and that will take a lot of work and dedication. 

Perissi is most excited for the 100s this season. Last year in her sectionals, she false-started and had a terrible moment, but this year she’s ready to make a comeback and prove people wrong. She goes to the gym three times a week and works out to get stronger. 

Nizaish Carr and Lyric Steele,  a former old trackmate, gave her a perspective to stay motivated through last year. Her goal is to stay focused on her health and push through longer and have her body ready for the end of her track season.

Sophomore Samy Carrlio is most excited for the 400 dash, 4×4, and 800s. She has been preparing herself by eating and sleeping well. She goes to the gym three times a week and gotten mentally strong. Her friend Lila from 6th grade was inspired by her to join the team. She loves it since then. One of her biggest goals is to make it to state or at least get a sub-minute in her 400 dash. She always tells herself that god has a plan and believes in her.

As the Red Devil track team starts, they will develop their skills and improve their capability for the season. 

“Every day brings a new challenge, and while we can’t always master those changes, we must have the will and desire to do our best and accept where we end up,” said Mull.