Outdoor Track 2025

Welcome to PHS Indoor Track! Please read the following carefully.

If you have questions or concerns please email us:

Girl's Head Coach:    Stan Lyford, stanlyford47@gmail.com

Boy's Head Coach:    Mike Lyford, mlyford@sau52.org

Athletes and Families,

The Spring Track (aka Outdoor Track) coaching staff is really looking forward to this upcoming Spring season, and it came up fast!

• In general athletes start on the track (weather permitting) at 3:35 pm (school gets out at 3:20) for a team warmup. 

• Monday 3/24 we'll actually all start in the Gym but then quickly move out so throwers can get some work done. 

• Some Specialty coaches have a different start time depending on availability. 

• Please see the Week One Specialty Schedule below to see where and when to go to those offerings.

• Above is the most current meet schedule; we have dropped the 5/21 Bedford meet from a previous schedule I sent out.

• Athletes need to have warm athletic clothes every day and clothes for a mix of temperatures. We practice outside mostly, regardless of the weather.

Please sign up for the Outdoor Track Remind messaging system. (Required for athletes, parents are welcome to join as well)

Girls Team text the code @2025phsgst to the phone number 81010 and follow the prompts.

Boys Team text the code @2025phsbst to the phone number 81010 and follow the prompts.

As of today we have 71 girls and 80 boys signed up; luckily we have 20+ coaches to handle that crowd! 

(those athlete and coaching numbers are unheard of in NH, we don't bother telling other coaches in the state about this because they simply wouldn't believe us)

Here's some Track & Field specific vocab just FYI:

Veterans: athletes that have done track or a specific event at the high school level.

Newbies: athletes that have NOT done track or a specific event at the high school level.

Primary Coaches: coaches that athletes report to or check in with every day. Even if a coach is not at practice every day, Primary coaches are the ones that conduct general running workouts.

Specialty Coaches: Long + Triple Jump, Shot Put, Discus, Javelin, High Jump, Hurdle, Pole Vault coaches that see a select few athletes a few times each week.

Here are some details for Week One (March 24-28):

Monday: Typical Day One, mostly just processing athletes and paperwork, learning names, veterans showing newbies basic drills and procedures. Easy running/drills.

Coaches of Specialty events have already talked to me about what they want to do, see below. Athletes need to be dressed to be active. Meet in the PHS Gym at 3:35 to start.

Tues:  Testing Day 1! We'll rotate athletes through some aptitude/skill tests to see if we can catch some talent early and direct it to the right place. That's about all that gets done this day, it also helps us direct athletes to the training right groups for their skill/experience level.

Wed:  Testing Day 2, same kind of deal as Tues; we are looking to figure out the best groups/events for athletes as early in the process as possible.

Marathon Sports (104 Congress St Portsmouth, NH 03801) is offering great discounts on training and racing shoes (and other items as well) Wed 3/26 from 5:00-7:00pm at their seasonal Team Night (also there's free pizza!). We will send out more info on this when we get it from Marathon Sports.

Thurs: Regular Practice; the first "normal" day of the season, Primary (running) coaches will have athletes assigned to them and Specialty coaches will continue to work with athletes grouped according to skill level and/or Boys Team/GirlsTeam designation. Groups will be posted.

Fri: No School at PHS Friday this week, most if not all Primary coaches are not practicing Friday but some Specialty Practices will be held at various times, see below. 

We don't typically practice on weekends, but if there is a weekend practice we will post it on Remind.

Looking forward to the season!

Coaches Lyford

Here's some terminology and info that might help when selecting shoes:

"Trainers" are just regular running shoes everyone uses for practice, a good pair of those is helpful for preventing injuries. We suggest getting a new pair of trainers for every season of track the athlete participates in.

You can compete at meets in trainers, but athletes might also want "spikes" which are lighter racing shoes that have metal bits you can screw into the soles.  "Flats" are racing shoes without spikes; at most Indoor Track meets only flats are allowed. 

Spikes can last multiple seasons because you really only use them for races and the occasional practice. 

Athletes who do Cross Country can use spikes at all Cross Country meets.

Athletes who do Indoor Track can use spikes at some Indoor meets.

Athletes who do Indoor Track can use flats at all Indoor meets.

Athletes who do Outdoor Track can use spikes at all Outdoor meets.