OHS Track & Field Athletes & Parents / Guardians

NO SCHOOL = NO PRACTICE TOMORROW 3/16/26 (Please see the practice plans for workouts you can do from home.  This is an advantage if we choose to use it.) 

Last Week: 

Last week we made it through our skill testing with the Panther Challenge and got a lot of fundamentals drilled out.  This first part of the season is all about learning how to practice, practicing how to practice, learning how to compete, and learning how to manage our mind / body during training & competition.  The T.E.A.M. dynamic has been growing along with our numbers this 1st week.  Thank you, seniors for facilitating the T.E.A.M. Goals, bonding, and the definition of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. 

On the coaching side, it's been a challenge to manage the volume T.E.A.M. We can expect growing PAINS, but let that be affirmation of growth and greater strength around the corner. It's such a pleasure to work with so many great young people!  Thank You, parents / guardians!

This Week:  

3/16 SNOW DAY!  Practice  At home / On your own

3/17  Practice ST: 4:05 - 6:05pm Uniform Hand Out

3/18 CLOTHING ORDER  DEADLINE #2

     Picture Night - Fundraiser Upload 

     Practice   ST: 4:05 - 6:05pm

     T.E.A.M. Dinner

3/19  Practice  ST: 7:15am (Opt.)   ST: 4:05 - 6:05pm

3/20  Watertown JV Invite    BT: 2:45pm     ST: 4:45pm

     Tri-State UW-P   BT: 2:05pm   ST: 4:30pm

Parent T.E.A.M.: To help with the above our Parent T.E.A.M. is in place to help with athlete nutrition / hydration.  This role is critical to our performance, and is often a highlight among athletes when out of the competition space. Here are this week's sign-ups...

T.E.A.M. Dinner 3/18 5:30 OHS Commons

Snack Sign Up - 3/20 @ UW-P and Watertown JV.

Picture Day: is Wednesday Wednesday 3/18/26, please dress just like you would for a competition. (Uniform To, Black Shorts, and Jacket if you have them.) 

Clothing Order:  Please see the T.E.A.M. Store Link for your early season apparel.  (Deadline is Wednesday 3/18/26 at 11:59pm)

Fundraiser: Athletes and parents again please see the Shoolfundr letter for fundraiser details. (Minimum: 20 "Quality Emails" ready for upload on Wednesday 3/18/26)

Competition: This week we'll practice how to compete as we will begin competition at Watertown and UW-Platteville.  As we decide who goes where and does what, it's important to keep things in perspective.  The 1st competitions are COMPETITIONS.  When in competition we summon our ALL to do our BEST!  These are also great LEARNING EXPERIENCES!  Every time we put ourselves out there we learn something important, let's keep this and FUN in front of us. Additionally the 1st competitions are learning experiences for the Coaches as well, there is no better way to learn about the athletes than a live competition, so put out your BEST!  The entries for the 1st meet are the most challenging to put together, especially when there are 140+ athletes to consider.  Most of your entry questions can also be answered on the  FAQ sheet, but know that entry data can and does change the DAY OF so please be prepared for changes. 

Parents please remember to fill out your Alternate Transportation Sheets (Rides Home) 24 hours  prior to the event. 

The Coaching staff has been working overtime and through the weekend to help put folks in the best positions possible.  We do our best to fit athletes into events, but entry limits, injuries, experience, and other factors also dictate who goes where and does what. To view entries, simply click on the meet link in either the Calendar or the meet links below. Again we are working hard to get everyone an event OPPORTUNITY and more.  

Competition Mindset / T.E.A.M.mates: Competition sites and events are all different, but we should approach all competitions with the same mentality.  TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY (Get the job done right)  with a WARRIOR SPIRIT (111% Total focused EFFORT on the task at hand regardless of the outcome/s).  If you squeeze the best out of yourself in both of those categories you can always walk tall and be proud of your performance.  Titles JV / Varsity / STATE CHAMP don't mean much 20 years from now, but the habits, self knowledge, and the will to prepare and perform will.  The other thing that will last is the memory of what kind of T.E.A.M.mate you were.  How you make / help your T.E.A.M.mates feel / perform has a lasting impact on you both.  

Goals: We will also set our T.E.A.M. and Individual goals for the season this week. When doing so it's sometimes helpful to look over Stats from years past and even school records.  Take your time and really commit to some early process and ultimate performance goals. The Sats doc is your one stop shop for your performance results, but also your letter point status / count, and event performance rank.  Again, don't fear measurement, embrace it and let it fuel your performance and enjoyment. Parents please ask to see you athlete's Track & Field goals this year to help keep them focused and help them track their performance as the season progresses.  These are the "Go To" items when the season's up's and down's come. 

Athletes, please post your goals where you can see them every day. (Locker, Bathroom, etc.)  I would also challenge you to share your goals with others as well, the more times you picture, reference, and speak about your goals to yourself and others the more likely they will happen.  (Take a picture & share it!)  "See It - Will It - Be It"

Uniforms: This week we will be dispensing uniforms to Athletes for competition.  One of the GROWING PAINS associated with the start of this season is the struggle to literally cover everyone with a uniform.  I'm going to be upfront and say that It's going to be a patchwork of Black and Orange for these 1st competitions.  But we have more new "Top of the Line" uniforms coming over spring break.  The expectation with any uniform is that we represent our school / community well when we're in "The Colors."  The other expectation is that your uniforms are not yours and to care for them like they belong to a good friend. (Cold wash only / Air dry, no heat) (Future OHS Track & Field Athletes thank you!)  Each athlete will be given a uniform with a number and they are responsible for that uniform number as recorded.  If athletes trade / share a jersey off and on as the year progresses, please know that YOU are still responsible for the jersey issued to you at the beginning. 

Shoes & Packing Items: If athletes are still in need of racing shoes / spikes. I have more than a few to loan out / test drive.  Please ask any coach for spikes after practice in the ice room. Additionally, when packing for meets please remember to pack your bags for all weather conditions.  That means 2 of everything, (One for you and extra for T.E.A.M.mates) please also consider any personal toiletries etc. as meet sites can vary greatly on availability / access.  Lastly, please remember to help yourself stay hydrated with a water bottle and any food item you need to stay fueled up at the site of competition.  Host site food is another constant variable so please plan your own nutrition ahead of time. 

That's all for now :)  Stay safe out there! We'll hit the ground running on Tuesday!

Coach Lease

OHS Track & Field Athletes & Parents

I hope this message finds you well! We’re thrilled to kick off this year’s fundraiser with the help of our partner, Schoolfundr.

If you're new to Schoolfundr, it's a secure and effective platform where ALL of donations go directly to support our team (minus the standard credit card fee). 

Why Schoolfundr?

• No Hidden Fees – We keep ALL of what we raise minus the standard credit card fee

• Tip-Based –  Donors are able to leave an optional tip to schoolfundr.org if they choose to.

• Secure & Private – Top-level security, does not monetize or sell data to any third parties
  
  

What We Need From You:

Please help your student collect 20 email addresses of potential supporters. These could be:
• Family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles)
• Friends and coworkers
• Community leaders, etc

Please DO NOT INCLUDE HS Friends, Teachers, Fake, or Random Emails

*Save these emails in a Notes App on your cell phone or Google Doc. Your student will bring them to their team meeting for input.*

Due Date:***Wednesday March 18th***

Thank you for your support! I'm very hopeful for the results if we approach this fundraiser as a T.E.A.M.

P.S.

Parent Team: We could really use more help organizing / executing, T.E.A.M. dinners / breakfasts, snack food for meets, event workers for home meets, banquet items, state meet items, and senior night / banner items.  Please fill out the Parent T.E.A.M. doc with your info / availability and keep an eye open for communications regarding the above. 

OHS Track & Field Athletes & Parents / Guardians

MONDAY March 9th we open the 2026 Track & Field Season!!!

WELCOME!  If you're receiving this email it means that you, your son / daughter have registered for OHS Track & Field! 

It was SO NICE to see many of you at the info meeting!  If you missed it please see the Info / Parent Meeting Slides here.  If you have Track & Field related questions that are not answered below please throw some of them at the OHS Track & Field Chat Bot. (Give it a shot) And / or consult the FAQ Document, OHS Track & Field Website, Team Rules Document, and  OHS Track & Field Calendar. 

Below is an example of one of my weekly communications.  I try to adhere to the once a week rule, but often there are more bases to cover in the early season.

We will begin by meeting in the Main Gym at 4:05 pm. (Be early and dressed ready to be active indoors and out)

Athletes & Parents / Guardians:

Remember these weekly emails are for YOU!  If you have any questions after reading the email, please create a new email thread / conversation rather than replying to the mass email.  Additionally, feel free to quiz each other on the contents from week to week. 

Parent Team: We need help organizing / executing... team dinners / breakfasts, snack food for meets, event workers for home meets, banquet items, state meet items, and senior night / banner items.  Please fill out the Parent T.E.A.M. doc with your info / availability.  This group also needs a parent leader. 

Here again are the quick links to docs that should answer many of your questions as well as the OHS Track & Field Chat Bot. They are all also at the bottom of every email

Quick Links 

OHS Track & Field Practice Calendar

OHS Track & Field Website 

OHS Track & Field Clothing Order

Ride Home / Travel Permission Sheet

OHS Track & Field Chat Bot

Practice:

REMINDER: All of the workouts for the season are linked in the OHS Track & Field Practice Calendar so there is no mystery about what is happening each day.

Our FOCUS this week is "Learning How To Practice!"  We have procedures to get through and an extensive dynamic warmup to learn / execute. Practices are different for each athlete as they are tailored to the individual and their event areas.  Additionally, some days are different depending on what is prescribed / stimulus we're introducing.  

OHS Track & Field Practice Calendar

REMINDER: If you're not going to be at practice / can't fully complete your workout for a particular practice, please COMMUNICATE with Coach Lease directly.  (Email preferred / if you need to text Coach Lease please include one of your parents / guardians / another Coach in on your conversation for your safety and our transparency)

Please be aware of the Tuesday and Thursday 7:15 am morning practices that are available for make-up practices, individual attention, and / or additional work / extra practice.

Measurables / Panther Challenge: 

The 1st two day of practice are our Panther Challenge. This consists of 7 events that show us specific measurables that we use to create practice plans / groups.  It is very important and MORE FUN to give each event our very BEST EFFORT, even if it's not an event we would usually compete in.  For you veterans out there, check out the doc and set some goals based off of your earlier performances.  What we MEASURE is what we IMPROVE! So give it what you've got!   

Competition: 

There is no competition this week outside of the Panther Challenge, however we will have practice this Saturday in preparation for our 1st meet on Friday the 20th.  Athletes must attend 7 practices to be eligible for competition.

Meet links are updated in the  OHS Track & Field Practice Calendar. Please see the meet folders for event entries, info, and results.

T.E.A.M.: 

Remember, when you show up on Monday you're a part of something bigger than yourself. What you DO / SAY matters, and HOW you say / do them matter.  It matters to you as and individual, but MORE IMPORTANTLY it affects (Neg / Pos) the rest of the T.E.A.M. 

We're all in together and if we do things well Together Everyone Achieves More!

OHS Track & Field Athletes & Parents / Guardians

WELCOME!  If you're receiving this email it means that you, your son / daughter have registered for OHS Track & Field! 

The 2026 OHS Track & Field Season is just 1 Week Away!!! MONDAY March 9th! 

It was SO NICE to see many of you at the info meeting last week wednesday! If you missed it please see the Info / Parent Meeting Slides here.  If you have Track & Field related questions that are not answered below please throw some of them at the OHS Track & Field Chat Bot. (Give it a shot) And / or consult the FAQ Document, OHS Track & Field Website, Team Rules Document, and  OHS Track & Field Calendar. 

Below is some of the other pertinent information we'll all need to start the season off on the right foot. 

Clothing Order:  Please see the T.E.A.M. Store Link for your early season apparel. 

DEADLINE #1: Wednesday March 4th at 11:59pm (Get your gear before the 1st meet = Order by the 1st deadline - There will be later opportunity) 

Fundraiser 

At the info meeting we discussed our need to engage in a fundraiser to help with some of our facility and operational needs.  This year we will again be using Shoolfundr as our platform.  Please read the full description in the link provided.  The short version is that Schoolfundr gives us back 95% of what we bring in. (Others are 20%)  THE ASK is that your athlete gains at least 20 "Good Emails" (Not school teachers/admin, fake, or random) for individuals likely to donate / be sympathetic to our goals. Parents, this is likely something your athletes will need your help with / your family/ professional network to complete well.  Again please see the Shoolfundr letter for more details. 

IMPORTANT ITEMS!

Sign-Up / Registration: Please, please, please have all of your registration information in order before practice starts on Monday March 9th.  Here is the link to the Sign-Up / Registration Page please pass this along to any other potential teammates that you think might enjoy this great sport! (It's Never Too Late To Sign Up)  Again 100% of this must be done BEFORE you can attend practice.  

Try-Outs: (If you signed up you're on The TEAM) However, we do perform some preliminary testing the 1st week to help us identify strengths, talent, and to help us establish a preliminary performance hierarchy.  Later in the year we look at practice and competition performances to establish this. Ultimately, we do establish Varsity and JV competitors and teams in the meet entries. Sometimes athletes perform on both JV and Varsity in the same meet / competition. 

Practice Structure: Ideally 100% of Athletes attend and complete 100% of the practices.  If you have schedule issues please communicate with Coach Lease.  We pride ourselves on being flexible, but we also need flexibility in return.

WHO: Only athletes that have completed the Track & Field registration process. General Practice: Everyone  Optional / Make-Up Practices: Odd Schedules / Make-Up / Extra

WHEN: General Practice 4:05 pm - 6:05 pm M-T-W-Tr-F (Practice length may vary by athlete / event/s)  Optional / Make-Up Practices: Tue - Thurs Mornings 7:15 am-8:15 am

WHERE: General Practice: OHS Main Gym until the weather warms.. Optional / Make-Up Practices: OHS Weight Room / Turf 

Communication and FAQ's:  1st, please check your filter for the "update" emails as they include a large number of recipients and sometimes get caught / filtered out as spam. 2nd, please consult the FAQ Document, OHS Track & Field Website, Team Rules Document, and  OHS Track & Field Calendar before communicating.  Also please do not reply to an "update" email as they stack up quickly and items get missed in the shuffle of replies. Please draft a new email with your questions so I can serve you better / quicker. Additionally, if you have a quick question, email / text is best. If you have a more lengthy or more sensitive subject matter, please feel free to call me anytime.

Coach Lease nelease@oregonsd.net (608)-444-2011

Competition Schedule: The Badger Conference site is the most up to date source of competition information available. Once our schedule is solidified all meet and special practice information will be on the OHS Track & Field Calendar. I will update the website after updating the calendar.

Clothing / Equipment: Please see the FAQ Document regarding uniform items and shoes. Here is this year's Clothing Order link through Badger Sporting Goods.

Black Compression Shorts: If you don't already have them please source plain black compression or running shorts for your competition uniform bottoms. (Small logos and no colored stripes, swooshes, Waistband Art is OK) Also see clothing order from.

Shoes (Training / Racing): Proper training shoes are essential. Look for

something like this with a low heel and good side / arch support. (Movin Shoes)

Proper / Improper Shoes Can Make or Break Your Season... 

Training Shoes: Every Day (2 paris recommended for early / late season) 

Spikes: Competition Shoe: (Race / Jump / Throw) These are highly dependent on the events your athlete competes in.  Sprint spikes are not good for distances over 400m and Jumping so if you're looking for an all around spike look for something with an actual rubber heel like a Cross Country Spike. Throwing shoes also far outperform training / running shoes. We have a large stockpile of spikes. Ask Coach Lease. see FAQ Document

Black Team Jacket: We like to look "uniform" during competition and the Black Jacket is more or less our signature. See the clothing order for the Waterproof Jacket. (Encouraged, but not essential)

Getting to know you: As I said I'm so very excited to see you all have a fun and successful 2026 season, but I'm also excited to get to know our newest members and to know our veterans better. Please take this brief survey to share your perspective, goals, and situation with myself and the rest of the coaching staff. OHS Track & Field Athlete Survey

Parent Team: We need help organizing / executing... team dinners / breakfasts, snack food for meets, event workers for home meets, banquet items, state meet items, and senior night / banner items.  Please fill out the Parent T.E.A.M. doc with your info / availability.  This group also needs a parent leader.  

Senior Parents, we also need a parent leader for banner / poster facilitation. 

Booster Club: The Booster Club is the one stop shop for athletic support in Oregon. Please consider becoming a member and volunteering to work at booster events. See Maureen Coyle coylezoo@outlook.com (Our Track & Field Rep.) and the Booster Site for more details.

Upcoming Dates / Events:

Captain's Practices: 4:00pm everyday after school leading up to the season. Meet by the whiteboard outside Lisa's office / between the locker rooms.  

Parent / Informational Night: Wednesday February 25th at 6:00pm in OHS Commons!

SEASON BEGINS MARCH 9th!!!: Meet in OHS Main Gym at 4:05 PM Every Day!

PRE-SEASON TRAINING!

- START EARLY / START SMALL: THE TRACK IS CLEAR PEOPLE!!!

Remember it takes 3 weeks of consistent training to see any real measurable change. So start small now and get a jump on the season. (16 Weeks Till The 12 Week Season Starts! Do The MATH :)

Aerobic Training = 20-24 Weeks To Change Body Structures (Endurance Muscles / Dark Meat)

Anaerobic Training = 20-24 Weeks To Change Body Structures (Speed / Power Muscles / White Meat)

LactateTraining = 9-11 Weeks To Change Body Chemistry (Can you process lactic acid / Poison Tolerance)  

Get Your Shins Together: Shin Splint Prevention

Spring Ankle Series: When it comes to your feet... Stiff is FAST!!!

- Train TOGETHER! The weight room / training facility is open form 4-5:15pm every day after school. Many athletes are already utilizing the "Sports AdvantEdge" Training program that our Booster Club paid for. I'll personally be facilitating the "Sports AdvantEdge" sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays. Those that are following the program are having success / showing measurable growth. I can't say the same for those that "Freestyle" it. When you choose to train, try and do it with TEAMMATES. The teams that train together in the off-season PERFORM together in the post-season. AND, it's just better together. (T.E.A.M.)

- COMPETE / CAMP TOGETHER! There are several winter camp / competition opportunities that you and your T.E.A.M.mates caan attend together. Keep it light and get in there and mix it up. You DO NOT get better at what you avoid / never do. The same goes for competition. Pick 1 Competition and 1 Camp opportunity to attend. (2 Competitions, or 2 Camps) Again see the calendar for Camp / Competition information. 

The More The Merrier!  Additionally, the season is always better with company.  Get out there and encourage your peers to join our ranks.  Think of your most beloved teammate and how it would feel if they just decided to take a season off or couldn't swing it with their schedule.  Your experience would be cheapened by that much. Track & Field is the "Every Person" sport, there is a home for everyone in an event / event area, and season after season we prove that folks can pick up this sport "cold" and become valued teammates and even STATE LEVEL COMPETITORS!  It's sad the number of former athletes that still have so much to give that just don't believe they can pick up a new sport and be successful / find fulfillment. Oh and did I mention it Track & Field is a TON ON FUUUUUNNNNN!!! THERE IS A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TRACK & FIELD TEAM WALKING THE HALLS OF OHS RIGHT NOW! (Think About That... :)

The T.E.A.M - The T.E.A.M - The T.E.A.M! 

Please reach out via the above protocols if you have questions.   

1 Week Away!!!

Coach Lease