The State High Girl’s Indoor Track team finished their winter season on Monday, Feb. 27. The team just entered the spring season on Monday, Mar. 14, ready to run. While team members are excited about the upcoming season, they will be facing some new challenges. 

Indoor track consisted of many different events, such as the 800 meter, the 400 meter, the 1600 meter, and a variety of sprints. Not every athlete does the same event, so during practices, the runners were split into different divisions to focus on their particular event. Junior Marlee Kwasnica, a distance runner at State High, practiced outside during the season to maximize her performance in her events.

“Even though it’s an indoor track, we’re usually running outside or on the track,” Kwasnica said.

Indoor track is a winter sport, and outdoor track is a spring sport. This spring season will have practices outside, and certain events will be lengthened. Some distance running events will be altered, and the orientation of the track itself will also change, going from 200 meters to 400 meters. The 3,000-meter event will change to the 3,200 meter, and the 1600 meter will be a mile, along with many other alterations.

“On a 200-meter track, you’re always running around turns. […] That tends to slow you down, ” Jennifer Evans, the coach of the girl’s indoor track team explained.

Even with these changes, Coach Evans is prepared to help her kids get ready for their first practice. 

“On the first day, we go over all the rules and procedures, kinda like you do in a classroom,” Evans said. 

Evans went on to explain how she gives out a syllabus that tells the athletes about eating and hydration habits to help the team stay healthy. 

Freshman Katie McQueary, a high and long jumper on the girls’ track team, described how she was feeling going into this season.

“I feel great about it. It’s nice to be coming from a small school that has little to no resources and coaches to a school that has everything you need to perform the best you can,” McQueary remarked.

McQueary, along with the other members of the Girls’ Track and Field team, remain excited for the season to come. A schedule of the 2022 Spring Track meets can be found here.