Placing First for the Meet

Julio Herrera, Echo/Comet Photo Editor

   On Tuesday, April 11, the boys track team travels to a new track in LaPorte to challenge their opponents LaPorte and Valparaiso High school. The team ended the meet with the 4×400 meter relay, taking the win home. This meet was the first race being scored for their outdoor season.

   “It was good that we won, we didn’t win by a lot. The most exciting thing was either the mile or the whole 4×4 at the end because you know everyone was cheering for the mile and the 4 by 4, it’s like an end of it off the meet. It is going to be hard to practice pole vaulting but it might be worth it. I like to listen to music before the meet and talk to some friends, also I pray to get into a mindset,” Kristopher Garner (10) said.

   A new skill for the team can be difficult, as Garner puts it, and will be beneficial for his team. Athletes like Garner or Christian Schultz (9) learn many things from their meet that helps them improve. 

   “I learned where I wasn’t going in my heart but I could have gone a little bit harder and most of my meets I could have pushed a lot harder, next week I am gonna try and get in the mindset. I’m trying to picture something with my dad, he was gone for a year in Afghanistan, I’m just running to him,” Schultz said.

   This mindset that Schultz tries to get into is important for him to improve, because he gets motivation from his dad. Some athletes try out other sports to get better at another one, this can include Anthony Zervos (9) for tennis.

   “In this season, I have improved more than I thought I ever would and had great motivation from the rest of my team. I am excited just to show up. Before a meet, I spend a lot of my time alone thinking about why I’m running and I plan out my race with what pace I want each lap to put my run into more perspective,” Zervos said.