Track & Field 2024 Season
Throwing the old season behind and sprinting to the new one. The 2024 Track & Field season has finally begun! This year is filled with excitement and determination by all members of the track and field team.
As preseason comes to an end and league is approaching, Arroyo track athletes are doing their best to start a tough season. “I think our team has definitely improved over the past two years and we have a good strong team this year,” said junior Captain Eduardo Morales.
During the pre-season meets, coaches can assign each athlete to their events or allow them to try out the ones they want to compete in the most. Through hard work and long training sessions, the team is slowly put together. Not only do these athletes practice Monday through Saturday but due to the current remodeling of the stadium, “We go to Rosemead High School 2 days a week to practice but we have to wait until they’re done with their practice so our kids are practicing from about 5-7 pm on Rosemead track. So it’s a challenge but we are grateful that Rosemead allows us to practice there,” Coach Bryon Hake, distance, said.
Without the stadium and track, it was a struggle for athletes to obtain the right facilities and equipment. Although there isn’t a stadium to practice on, athletes continue to persist and excel with long, dark, and cold nights of practice at Rosemead High School. These athletes come into practice still eager and excited to get this season off to a strong start! “It’s been very difficult (not having a stadium) for a year because it’s hard for the kids to develop muscle memory when they only get to practice the event twice a week. But their attitude has been spectacular.” Coach Heather Moulton, Discus, and Throws said.
Many changes have occurred in track but most of all, the track and field family has grown like never seen before over these last two years. Since coming back from COVID, many sports like track and field were heavily affected by never having enough students to fully cover all areas of the sport. All of that has changed because currently there are about 130 students in track and field with many new faces and returning athletes. “I’m very excited that we’re finally growing because coming back from COVID, we’ve been very small, and hard to cover all events in track. This is the first year since COVID where we have a full team. I’m excited that we have so many young athletes that we can keep with us for two to three years.” Coach Heather said.
With such a large team, returning track and field athletes express their excitement over the amount of good people that have joined the sport this year. With these new, young, and bright athletes, the expansion of the track and field family ensured success! “I’m looking forward to this season since we have a lot of new members who have really good talent. I think we are able to do better than the years before,” Damien Casillas, Hurdler, and Jumper said.
With the growth of track and field, hope is expressed that our athletes will succeed greatly this season. The number of students in each event such as sprints, distance, mid-distance, jumps, hurdles, throws, and discus. In each of these events, athletes express their skills and goals coming into this season.
Thrower/Discus:
“My main goal is to honestly have fun and I’m looking forward to the senior night cause I wanna get my poster, I want to experience the ceremony, and all of it.” -Krissa Valle, (12)
Sprints:
“My goal for this year is to build up my stamina and get faster for track. I’d also like to get better at my events to better support my team.” Alma Molina, sprinter (12)
Mid distance:
“My main goal for this season is to get a Mission Valley League medal again and make it to CIF again” Eduardo Morales (11)
Distance :
“My goal for this season is to PR in the 1600m and the 800m.” Joselyn Zhou Zhang (11)
Hurdles:
“My goal is to do good and maybe have a shot to go into the next level… I think I have a fair shot in hurdles but we’ll see.” Damian Casillas (12)
Jumps:
“I want to come close to or beat the school record this year.” Haley Pham (12)
We look forward to seeing what our Knights will accomplish and what memories they will make starting this season strong with the new generation of runners!
“I love the feeling of accomplishment track gives me and the amazing people I’ve met through it. I can’t wait to see what this season brings on and what the future holds.” Jazmine Smith, freshman, said.
