Andersen and Woo stand out early on field team
Senior George Obinna takes off for a jump in a long jump event against Liberty High School at Tracy High School on March 13.
March 28, 2014
Tracy High took home first place wins in the varsity boys’ high jump and pole vault and varsity girls’ pole vault at the Port City Invitational at Bear Creek High School on March 8.
Students that participate on the field events on the track and field team are off to a strong start. At the most recent meet, the Jaguar Relays at Kimball High School on March 22, the varsity boys finished third overall (one point behind the second place team), and the varsity girls placed fifth.
Coach Jay Fishburn, who has been coaching track and field for almost two decades and was himself a track and field participant in high school, reflected on last year’s track and field season.
“We didn’t do very well. We did not have a winning season,” Fishburn said. “We were 2-3 in the varsity boys and 1-4 in the varsity girls.”
At the Port City Invitational, the results were more reassuring. For track and field, the varsity boys placed third out of 15 teams and the varsity girls placed fourth out of 14 teams. Given the victories at the start of this season, Coach Fishburn expressed high hopes for this season.
“This year we have a chance. We’re going to be a lot better this year,” Fishburn said. “We just placed third at the invitational last Saturday. This is the first time since 2002 that as a team we’ve placed at that invitational.”
Fishburn noted a major change from last season to this season: Tracy High’s new track.
“We have a new track. That’s awesome because we don’t have to have practice at West and Kimball,” Fishburn said. “This year we get to practice here and have our meets here. The number of shin splints athletes have has dropped dramatically, because on the old dirt field the constant pounding gave people shin splints.”
Two students on the team are showing signs that they will have successful seasons.
Noah Andersen, a senior, who has participated in pole vault since sophomore year, won the Port City Invitational for the varsity boys’ pole vault. During the season, Andersen practices for about two hours every weekday. Coach Fishburn has seen Andersen’s hard work pay off over the years.
“He’s just gotten better and better. He’s improved his height every year in the pole vault,” Fishburn said. “The first year he jumped around 10’6”. This year he’s jumped 12’6”. He’ll be in contention for a league title.”
The current pole vault record at Tracy High is 14’7” for boys. Andersen, whose personal record at a meet is 12’6” and 13’ at practice, is determined to surpass the school record, and has made changes in practice in order to achieve that goal.
“I recently shifted to a new pole. It’s a 14 foot pole and it’s for a 150 pounds person,” Andersen said. “I feel like if I keep trying hard enough with that pole, I’ll beat it.”
If Andersen cannot beat the school record, he wishes to at least fulfill his personal goal.
“My personal goal is at least 13’6”, but it’d be really great to beat the school record,” Andersen said.
Andersen ultimately hopes to continue to participate in pole vault in college.
“I’d like to be able to have CSU Stanislaus come watch me and be able to join their team for college,” Andersen said. “So, I’ll have to email them and get them to come out and see me pole vault.”
Another top athlete is Alicia Woo, a sophomore who won the Port City Invitational in the girls’ varsity pole vault. Although this is Woo’s first year competing full time in track and field, Woo participated in Tracy High’s gymnastics team last year. Woo’s brother, Justin Woo, who is currently vaulting at California State University, Chico, is the school record holder for the boys’ pole vault. Fishburn has high hopes for Woo this season.
“She tinkered with track and field last year. She dedicated herself full time this year,” Fishburn said. “She’s a sophomore and this year she’s already won the Port City Invitational—she has unlimited potential.”
Since October, Woo has been training with a year-round pole vault club in Brentwood. During the season, Woo, like Andersen, practices two hours each weekday at Tracy High. Even though Woo is already a sophomore on the varsity team, she continues to seek improvement.
“At first I was very nervous about being on the varsity team, but I like a challenge so it’s a good way to keep trying and keep pushing myself,” Woo said.
Woo hopes to be able to clear one foot higher by the end of the season.
“I would like to clear 9’6”. Right now I clear 8’6”,” Woo said. “It’s definitely a challenge to get any higher but with the training from Coach Fishburn I definitely think it’s possible.”
Woo recently cleared 9’7” at the Jaguar Relays meet at Kimball High School on March 22.
The next meet is the Tracy High School Alumni meet at Tracy High School on March 29.
