Big Red Winter Track Shines Indoors, Bids Farewell to the Cage
During this year’s season of track, the athletes had a successful year, setting multiple records and bonding together through their races and goals. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams lost to Andover, but only by a close margin of points. As the teams still placed well in a number of their matches, Big Red remained a very strong and determined force.
Team spirit played a huge role in the enthusiasm and successes of the teams this year. “Our team was very supportive even though it was large. Everyone pushed each other to run faster and had a great time together at meets,” upper Sarah Brown said. During meets, the entire team cheered each other on while warming up for their own events. “In every practice and every meet you just knew that everyone was happy to be able to say they were a part of the track team,” captain and senior Bridget Higgins said. It was evident that everyone on the team loved track, competing and being on the team in general.
Even though all athletes competed individually, the winter track team felt united. “On a big team, it was nice because JV and Varsity weren’t really divided and neither were girls and boys, so it felt like one big family,” captain Chudi Ikpeazu said.
Being runners themselves, the coaches connected with their athletes on many levels. “[Coach Brandon] Newbould is very close with all the distance runners and plans all our training working with us on additional runs and cross training. Newbould is an incredibly fast runner himself and sometimes will run with different parts of our team,” Brown said. According to Vaughns, the coaches each also have their own specialties which, when mixed together, make the winter track team perform collectively better.The coaches’ relationships with the athletes only added to the close-knit family atmosphere of the team. “The coaches are very accessible, so that we can talk to them about other aspects of our lives, which offers an amazing family experience,” senior and captain Vince Vaughns said. Similarly, senior and captain Matt Asante said that the positive energy around the track started with the coaches. “The coaches encouraged everyone on the team to approach each challenge with an optimistic attitude, and this created an atmosphere where everyone was eager to try their best and support their teammates,” Asante said.
“The coaches encouraged everyone on the team to approach each challenge with an optimistic attitude, and this created an atmosphere where everyone was eager to try their best and support their teammates.”
Throughout the season, athletes formed close relationships with coaches that positively impacted their overall experience on the team. “The coaches are all so inspirational. I have been with Coach Coder for many years with soccer as well, and I am so grateful to have such a knowledgeable and caring coach,” Higgins said. She added that the athletes also had the unique experience of being coached by Coach Toyin Ikwuakor, who is now training for the summer olympics.
This past season’s captains, Higgins, Asante, Ikpeazu and Vaughns, also played a key role in keeping the players optimistic and ready to compete. “As a captain, I try to lead by example. I have always believed that a good leader should be able to lead from behind and bring out the strengths of his or her teammates. With such an amazing and talented group of athletes, my job was easy,” Higgins said. Her effort certainly had a noticeable impact on the season—she was awarded MVP for her leadership, sportsmanship and overall contribution to the team. “A personal highlight of mine would be when the team awarded me with the honor of being the MVP. It was a moment when I realized how lucky I was to have a team like a family that I truly will miss,” she said.
Ikpeazu stressed the importance of a captain’s contribution to the team through leading by example. “In workouts, we'd have to finish completely to show the others the importance of going all the way to the end,” he explained. In order for the team to give 100 percent every day, the captains demonstrated full participation so the other athletes would be encouraged to follow their lead. “I believe if my teammates see me working hard and doing extra whether it be performing rope drills or focusing on form, it will inspire them to do so as well,” Vaughns said.
Asante agreed with his co-captains on the importance of captains. “My role as a captain was to approach each practice and meet with the same enthusiastic attitude that our coaches preached, and encourage my teammates to be determined and excited for track,” he said. In addition to being role models and star athletes on the team, the captains also took care of small details like team gear.
There were many impressive records and highlights of the 2016 season. “We had school records being shattered and many people hall-of-fame-ing. We also had great success competing with collegiate athletes at invitational meets hosted at Harvard and Dartmouth,” Vaughns explained. Upper Gwendolyn Wallace broke her own personal records and the school triple jump record multiple times. Uppers Sydney McKiernan and Grace Pratt accomplished personal best performances. Higgins said she was especially impressed with the younger athletes. “It's great to see the young talent on the team, such as [prep] Ogechi Nwankwoala with her prep record in the 60 hurdles, [lower] Chi Chi Ikpeazu with her Andover meet record in shot put and her hall of fame in high jump and [prep] Grace Gray with her hall of fame in the mile, ” she said.
At the end of the season, a few of the athletes attended Eastern States and Nationals in New York with some even placing in the top 12. Chudi Ikpeazu, who attended both of these meets, explained that due to the competitions’ large sizes, the few Exonians attending had to stick together and grew closer through the event.
Due to snow, the winter track team mostly practiced in Thompson Cage throughout the season. The Cage is being torn down and rebuilt because it has become difficult to train in the old and worn out facility. However, its poor condition did little to diminish focus and enthusiasm. “The coaches usually comment on how much energy we have despite our circumstance of not having an appropriate facility in which to train,” Higgins said.
After a successful season, the captains and seniors are sad to say goodbye to their winter track family. While upset to lose the graduating seniors, the rest of the team is looking forward to next season, hoping to see exciting prospects grow out of some of the younger players on the team.