As football season ends, track season begins to rise. Track is one of the demanding sports due to its extreme mental and physical demands. The sport requires intense mental fortitude, a strong lower body, and high agility.
As the season appears to be approaching quickly, our athletes have been preparing and grounding themselves so they can perform at their best. Being able to have a stable mindset alongside controlling their performances takes diligence and determination that not everybody can achieve.
“First, I have to pack my bags and mentalize myself in front of the crowd, and I always eat something because I’ll starve if I don’t. To mentalize myself, I use a goal to be better than myself and nobody else, essentially improving myself in the best way possible,” junior Carlos Toro said.
For many athletes, the love from their sport doesn’t only rise from the thrill of winning a competition, but from the freedom and joy it gives the individual.
“I like to go running, I always love to run on the weekends, it makes me happy. Long distances are the easiest because I have the highest meter, I don’t get tired, and on a normal Saturday, I can run 20k easily,” Toro said.
As much fun as any sport can be, they all come with serious obstacles, and it is never simple or trouble-free to get through them, they all come with repetitive trial and error.
“You need to be friends with everybody so you all can be the best and feel like you are part of the team,” Toro said.
For the vast majority of competitors, their love for track begins at a young age, enabling them to grow alongside the sport while still developing dedication and discipline.
“I started in middle school and when I was 13 I joined a summer track program and went off from there,” sophomore Omotade Bello said.
Many people are drawn to track because of its noticeable differences compared to other sports. Track consists of individual and team competitions, a variety of events, and specific exercises in order to fit its standards. All other sports can’t necessarily compete with track in terms of distinctiveness due to their distinguishing rules and roles.
“I’ve played soccer, basketball, volleyball, karate, and only once football. They all have different rules, and some teams are going to be bigger or smaller,” Toro said.
Despite the differences among the different sports, all the coaches share the same goal: to make their athletes the best possible versions of themselves. Every coach strives to achieve this goal, no matter the way they demonstrate it, they all hold immense care for their students.
“My coach is always there to help us and practice, and always gives points and tips. He tells us to show up on Saturdays for weekend practice so we can become better,” sophomore Glenn Castekanos said.
As the track season continues to slowly approach, athletes continue to prove that practice and training go beyond physical body work, but instead through discipline, a stabilized mindset, and responsibility.
