This year, the girls’ track team is very excited for the upcoming season. Some girls on the team and were very eager to give their input on the upcoming year.

Meg Schleter, 12, said, “I’m most excited for the chance for our 4×800 to hopefully advance to Regionals and maybe even State if we improve our times.”

Peytynn Pearson, an eleventh grade hurdler, said that she was “very excited to compete at the Kokomo relays and the Terre Haute meet.”

One skill that is key for an individualistic sport like track is to keep personal goals. The individual improvement of times is what will help the team as a whole succeed.

Vivian Hoeppner, 10, said, “This season is definitely going better than last season.  We have more girls on the team. Also my events are the 100 hurdles and the 300 hurdles, the 4×100 meter relay, and I’m working towards pole vault.”

Darina Dautpayeva, a foreign exchange student from Kazakhstan, manages the track team. She runs and trains with the girls, but doesn’t compete in the meets.

Dautpayeva said, “There are no sport options in my high school in Kazakhstan. Sports in my country are more like an afterschool activity. In my opinion, it’s great that Americans pay a lot of attention to sports. I am so glad that I’ve joined track… It wasn’t easy at the beginning, but with my teammates’ and coaches support it’s getting better. Track is certainly one of the best experiences that I’ve ever had in my life.”

Most of the girls are very excited about this season, and have been working hard with the main goal in sight being State. The girl’s track team is determined to get there.