The boys track and field team kicked off the 2024 indoor season on Monday, Jan. 15 where non-varsity sprinters, distance sprinters, distance runners, jumpers, throwers and pole vaulters gathered in the field house for tryouts. Coaches have new plans for improving the whole team, as well as individual athletes, like maintaining good health and motivating each other for the new season.

“[Our] meeting yesterday [emphasized our goal] for the 2024 season [of] athletes to remain healthy and eligible for the season and I think that’s what makes a difference,” varsity coach Michael Grossman said. “If you’re a younger athlete, you know older experienced athletes because we don’t separate like other sports, with freshman practices [or] varsity practices, it’s all one practice,” Grossman said.

Grossman found that staying healthy has been an issue in past seasons, along with annual injuries. Keeping a team strong physically is important, but so is mentally. He believes when a team works together to push each other out of their comfort zones, they can succeed in competitions.

“What qualities would make an ideal team [is] when we have our captains, our varsity athletes, and our top athletes holding each other accountable for what it means to be good competitors,” Grossman said.

Being a team captain comes with lots of responsibilities, like leading younger athletes with warm-ups, drills and cool-downs. Varsity athletes, like distance runner Toby Galson, senior, found that one of the most beneficial ways to make progress is through teamwork.

“As much as my teammates and I like to poke fun at each other, we really can’t progress without the constructive feedback we give to each other,” Galson said.

Practicing too hard, however; can cause athletes to over-work themselves, resulting in injuries and being taken out of practices and meets. Over the past track seasons, coach Grossman has found many ways to treat injuries as well as prevent them.

“The bigger emphasis the last five, six years have been longer warm-ups…for the left side injuries…that’s just how you run around the track, you run counter-clockwise. So that is prevented by running in the opposite direction, running throughout our community, running in the cardio lab and then really utilizing…the new renovated weight room for some kind of strength injury prevention exercises [strength and conditioning coach Thomas] Dellota has put together for us,” Grossman said.

“Teenagers who have never really had to deal with an injury before, finally getting injured — that does take a toll and so, we do have to work with those students through re-hab, physically and mentally, so just hopefully that doesn’t just affect them for the sport, but also outside the sport as well,” Grossman said.

Galson shares his experience of being injured throughout his past track season. “Every other season I’ve had over the last four years, I’ve felt as if I’m hindered by an injury, so this season I’ve really been stressing both my mental and physical health,” Galson said

Getting into shape is essential for track and takes time since practices are held six days a week. Going into his fourth and final year of running distance track, varsity distance runner Daniel Thannert, senior, finds multiple ways outside of pre-season practice to become stronger.

“Working hard at practice, doing lots of core and leg workouts in VPE, and staying healthy by stretching,” Thannert said.

The boys compete at their first home meet on Friday, Feb. 2, go out and show your support!