AOW: Boy’s Spring Track

By: Henry Liu, Jonathan Jeun

After a year-long hiatus, the boys outdoor track team is back in full force as athletes run, jump, and throw. Connor Chen, Varun Oberai, Drew Smith and Jeremiah Swett serve as captains of the spring track team, where they create a friendly and competitive atmosphere on the tracks. Although this year was unlike any other, the captains are upholding the long tradition of a successful track season.

The captains started their athletic careers from a young age. “I got into running track when I was about five years old,” Smith said. “My parents had encouraged that I try it out since they’d grown up running track in Jamaica.” 

Chen shared a similar story about his start in the sport. “I’ve ran since I was six. Until I came to Exeter, I actually played a ton of other sports — primarily swimming and basketball, but I tried rugby and tennis too,” Chen said. “Eventually I was forced to make a final sport decision, and the camaraderie of the track team was the primary factor in my ultimate decision to run for every term at Exeter.” 

Oberai also enjoyed soccer and swimming before committing to track. “I got into running in middle school when I tried out for the cross country team in 6th grade,” he said. “I turned out to be decent at it. I really enjoyed practices and races, so I continued the sport into high school.”

Like Oberai, Swett’s passion for running started in middle school. “My mom was a collegiate track athlete and held the Ohio long jump state record for some time in high school. In middle school, I followed in her footsteps and started running and jumping for the track team,” Swett said. “However, when I transitioned into high school, I was encouraged to do the throwing events such as discus, shot put and javelin. I fell in love with them instantly.” 

For the four captains, track played an integral role in making them feel welcome at Exeter. “I definitely missed home a bit at first, but having cross country preseason where I met most of the team truly made PEA feel like a second home,” Chen said. “With runs and classes and games filling my daily agenda, I quickly fell into the Exeter routine and transitioned smoothly.”
“I was really lucky to have the cross country team for support throughout prep fall, and the upperclassmen on the team at the time made adjusting to life here really easy,” Oberai added.

Considering the restrictions the pandemic has placed on track seasons, upper and teammate Sava Thurber commented on the leadership that the captains have shown during these challenging times. “Starting with last spring, I think the two biggest challenges for the track team have been access to equipment and morale. When everyone was at home, lots of members of the track team could not easily access a gym, exercise equipment, or a reliable place to run,” Thurber said. “Of course, it was not optimal, but I believe it was the best we could have done at the time. The other difficulty was keeping people motivated and excited to be a part of the team.”

As a new runner on the team, prep Michael Yang expressed admiration for Smith’s leadership. “Drew is the captain of the sprint group, [and] is a committed leader on and off the field. Drew loves to get to know each athlete on the team and makes sure they feel welcomed. He works hard, always pushing his limits, setting an example for the rest of us. He has led the team during these challenging times through keeping the team connected,” Yang said.

Prep Jackson Giampa said, “Drew is always upbeat and happy, but he is also very focused on his work and his training. His attitude towards improving in every aspect of track is contagious. On more than one occasion I have been supported and pushed by Drew to do my very best when I was underperforming. During these times where I am pushed it is very easy to forget about the pandemic and everything that is going on right now.”

Thurber expanded on Oberai’s and Chen’s leadership. “Trying to manage a large group with the current COVID protocol is tough. But, I think that Connor and Varun have both been great at leading by example, setting a high standard for the rest of the team,” Thurber said. “I have been impressed by their enthusiasm and incredible skill level.”

Looking back on their track careers at Exeter, the captains reflected on their favorite moments from the past few years. “One of my favorite track moments at Exeter was actually this past weekend at our intrasquad meet. On Saturday, there really weren’t many events, and most of the people at practice had their eyes turned to the middle of the field, where javelin was taking place. With a slight tailwind, it seemed like all the throws were PRs, and our run was full of cheers and claps and whoops,” Chen said. “And then, there was David Mancini. His javelin sliced the air and arced across the sky like an eagle swooping down towards its prey. Even amidst the 20mph gusts, there was somehow silence, as though God had calmed the entire world for this humble throw. When the tip of the javelin plunged into the earth a few feet across the 200m mark, we erupted with joy and many celebrated with pumped fists and smiles and cheers. It was a remarkable day and a fantastic achievement from David and the whole team.”