Girls’ Track team fueled by long-distance runner
Brookelynn Juarez getting ready to start her race
March 27, 2014
Tracy High Schools girls’ track team is off to a very good start. The track team has already had three meets: All City Meet, Port City Invitational, and Jaguar Relay. Coach Mauricio Martin believes that his track team is already improving.
“So far, we seem to be dropping our times at every meet,” Martin said. “All of the sprinters seem to hate military Mondays, but it makes the sprinters stronger.”
Military Mondays is a speed and agility workout day that the track team has every Monday. Military Monday is the most intense workout day through the week of practices, which includes sprinting and conditioning.
Since the track team has 151 athletes on the squad, there are many goals that the girls’ track team wants to achieve.
Junior Karlie Brown who has a big goal that she wants to reach, Brown participates in 100 meter sprints, long jump, and pole vaulting.
“My main goal is to qualify for the Mount Sac track meet in Los Angelas,” Brown said. “This meet is for all athletes from all over the country to compete at this one event.”
Determined distance runner Kaitlin Spencer has many goals that she wants to achieve. Spencer, a junior runs the mile, and two mile.
“I am going for my strong goals,” Spencer said. “I am excited for sections this year, but my overall goal is to turn times that can help me get a scholarship in college.”
Long-distance coach Melissa McCullough is inspired by Spencer every day .
“She works really hard every single day,” McCullough said. “She has a very strong work ethic and that really inspires me to see someone with that trait.”
Spencer is really looking into playing sports at the collegiate level and believes that track/cross country will help her reach her dream.
“Right now I am looking at Utah State as my number one choice,” Spencer said. “I am open minded to other colleges that have interest in me.”
The recruiting process for Spencer takes hard work and dedication.
“I put a lot of time and a lot of training,” Spencer said. “I usually run two times a day and it is a really big commitment for me.”
In order for Spencer to get seen by college coaches, she has to go through a process, so that she can make herself stand out.
“The big thing is times because a lot of it is contacting coaches personally,” Spencer said. “Videotaping your races, but mostly the coaches look at your track times.”
For coach Martin, he knows what it takes to reach for their main goal.
“Our team works hard and dedicates everything in their events,” Martin said. “We as a team, strive for that goal every day.”
According to Martin, top time he has seen so far is from freshman 200 meter runner Jasmine Guebarra at 20.92 seconds. Brown’s best time in the 100 meter is around 11 seconds. Spencer’s top times in the two-mile race are 12:18 minutes and 5:37 in the one mile event.
Martin’s goal is to have his varsity girls and boys sprinter win league.
“Our biggest competition in league is usually Lodi and Lincoln,” Martin said.
The track teams’ next meet is against Lodi High School on April 3, 2014 at Lodi.
