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Post date: Feb 10, 2018 10:49:56 PM
So much was new.
For some, the sport of track and field was new.
For many, competing on an indoor track was new.
For many more, the events they challenged themselves in for the good of the team were new.
For all, the meet itself was new. This is the earliest the Minooka girls have ever competed in a meet, and the first time ever at Wheaton Warrenville South. The hosts did a great job having the meet — and then still having meet after so many across the state were canceled today.
At the end of the day, Minooka finished 2nd to the host school in the five-team meet. With the season so new, the girls provided plenty to be excited about.
Emily Shelton, Vivian Van Eck, Emily Ellis, and Julia Dames started off the running events by winning the 4x800-meter relay. The girls showed lots of competitive fire in battling throughout the race.
Around that same time, Katelyn Gall was clearing 9 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault to tie an indoor school record, something you don’t typically see in the first meet of the season. She also won the event.
Later in the meet, Shelton took to the track again and won the 1600-meter run in 5:18.10, beating out the second-place runner by half a second.
Those were the results-sheet highlights, but there was plenty more to be happy about for the first meet of the year.
More athletes were trying new events for the good of the team than ever before. Coach Bahret had 7 high jumpers — many landing on a full pit for the first time in their lives — looking to fill a hole in our lineup left by graduation. When they cleared the bar for the first time, the smile and “hey, I can do this” look on their faces pointed the way toward an exciting season.
Coach Walker had an army of pole vaulters lined up to take their first jumps of the year — and for many of them the first in their lives. All 10 of them cleared a height, which is a first-ever for Minooka in a single meet. “This was a very good day for us,” Coach Walker said.
Over at shot put, Coach Minich also had several athletes trying a new event. At least 5 of the 7 throwers had never thrown before in a meet. Again, we had athletes stepping up to fill holes in the lineup left by graduation.
Other notables for the first meet of the year:
- Athletes warmed up properly and had a sweat going when they stepped to the line.
- The older guided the younger in all the events.
- Equipment was taken care of well and put away properly.
- Throughout the meet, athletes reported for their events on time and paid attention to the clerk’s instructions well.
- There was a tremendous amount of the support for each other during the meet. The cheering during the 4x400-meter relay capped off a great day of encouragement, and made those races even that more competitive.
The season is still new, and the willingness of athletes to challenge themselves for the good of team will pay off nicely in the long run.
Go Minooka!
– Coach Thomas
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