The girls Track & Field team continues to prepare for future meets this season. Their first meet was held on Feb. 22 at Wheaton North High School. Last season, the team took 18th in state. Coach Janeen Carlberg said this is a building year for the young team and hopes their unit will be a frontrunner one day.
“We’re a pretty young team and we’re very much building this season,” she said, “I just think seeing ourselves improve right now and getting ourselves in a situation so that in a couple of years we can really be a powerhouse again.”
Besides going to practice after school, the team prepares nutritionally.
“Mainly just diet and drink lots of water,” said senior Anna Sheaffer. Sheaffer runs long distances for track, specifically the two-mile and sometimes the eight-hundred.
Junior Brooke Anderson mentioned the importance of mental preparation as well.
“On the day of a meet I rely on music heavily to get ready for it and just focus,” she said, “Anything that comes at me I just keep inside until the meet and take all my stress and anxiety out while I’m running.”
Carlberg has been coaching since she graduated college at Mammoth where she ran track. Her dad was a coach, and she said she has always been interested in a coaching position. She tries to lead by example for her team.
“I still do my own competing and training and I’m passionate about it so hopefully that shows and my girls feed off of that,” said Carlberg.
One runner that stands out to Carlberg is senior Trinity Allen. Allen took seventh in state for the 300 hurdles last season and wants to do even better this year.
“I want to be a state champion in the 300 meter hurdles” Allen said, “Just to qualify for state would be amazing.”
Their next meet will be Mar. 19.