Triangular meet at Romeoville with Richards, 2.25.15

The promise of improvement. The excitement about what is yet to come. The appreciation of running in the shape of an oval. That was opening night for the Minooka girls track and field team.

Romeoville’s field house was the site, and while the veterans had a great night — hitting personal bests, breaking school records, and leading the team to victory — the night was really about the freshmen.

It was their first high school track meet, and many had never seen the three-ring circus that is an indoor meet before. They weren’t distracted by the chaos or intimidated by the newness. Instead, they embraced the competition and got some good work done.

Certainly you want to see good marks and fast times, but even more important that first meet, you want to see how the newcomers battle. Of the 20 varsity and JV events won by Minooka, 11 of them were either won by a freshman or a relay that contained a freshman. All three JV relays — made up entirely of freshmen — won. These freshmen compete.

The best teams are strong freshmen through seniors. Opening night showed a lot. We have the promise of improvement. We are even more excited about what is yet to come. And now we not only have a glimpse of what to expect this season, but also a peek at some promising careers in track and field.

Go Indians.