Indoor track season gives athletes a jump start
Members of River View High School’s indoor track team warm up on the track during practice on Feb. 23. Josie Sellers | Beacon
WARSAW – Several spring athletes at River View High School got a jump start on their training by participating in the indoor track season.
“It gives the kids a chance to see their competition and know what they need to work on for the outdoor season,” said Head Coach Mike Gray.
The indoor season runs from January to March and those from River View who compete are considered to be part of a club team.
River View Junior Cassidi Bookless is glad they have the opportunity to participate in indoor track.
“I want to go far in the outdoor season and this helps me,” she said.
Sophomore Isaiah Cameron has definitely seen an improvement in his times since starting indoor track.
“I’ve been running track since seventh grade, but this is only my second year of indoor,” he said. “When I was in eighth grade I ran a 57.0 in the 400 and after doing indoor track a 52.0 was my best time. I’m going for the school record this year.”
This is sophomore Eli Giles’ first year at River View and first time participating in indoor track.
“It’s a lot warmer indoors and I think it’s a little easier to run indoor than outdoor,” he said.
Junior Nicole Bryant practiced with the team last year, but this is her first time going to indoor meets and competing.
“It’s a whole new experience,” she said. “The track is half the size and the atmosphere is different. It’s a smaller space, they play music and everyone just seems to get into it.”
Like Cameron, Bryant also has seen indoor track impact her times.
“I wasn’t very good my freshman year,” she said. “My sophomore year I started getting better and now I’ve already come close to beating my best time in the 400.”
Bryant was one of four girls from River View in the top 35 rankings for DII and DII. The 4×200 team of Skyler Stewart, Bryant, Bookless and Alicia Longsinger was ranked and so was Stewart in the high jump. At the state indoor track meet the 4×200 relay team was 15th out of 18. Their time was 1.5 seconds faster than it was before with a time of 156.31. Stewart placed 20th out of 25 in the high jump with a jump of 4 ft 10 in.
Gray got the indoor team started when he became head track coach at River View in 2003.
“I’d say 95 percent of our All-Ohioans participated in indoor track,” he said.
Category: High School, Sports
