By Amirah Torrence and Osasere Imade
Track and field is a vigorous sport that consists of running and other field events such as shot put, hammer throw, discus throw, javelin throw, long jump, triple jump, pole vault and high jump. In this sport there are sprinters, middle distance runners, and long distance runners. At MCSM we have our own female track team with freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors involved. Here are some of our track team’s thoughts about how and why they became involved in this particular after-school activity.
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Track Team Athlete Yelissa Lopez (freshman)
RamPage: What made you join the track team?
Lopez: “What made me join the track team was mostly wanting to have a sport coming into high school. Mr. Almanzar, our coach, also approached me about joining track; which was another reason why I joined.”
RamPage: What were the benefits of joining the track team?
Lopez: “I received plenty of benefits from joining the track team. The track team allowed me to meet a group of amazing girls who I consider my close friends today. It also benefited me physically by helping me stay in shape and be healthy.”
RamPage: Will you be staying on the track team next year?
Lopez: “I will be staying next year partially because it’s a great look for college. Also because I love to run and track is pretty fun because of the group of girls that I train with.”
RamPage: Besides the track team, what other school sports team would you have liked to join?
Lopez: “I originally intended to play softball but it started in the spring. So I just joined track and stayed. I was also planning to join the volleyball team, but I heard that the coach wouldn’t let freshmen play unless they were skilled.”
RamPage: how do you manage being on the track team while keeping up with your school work?
Lopez: “Managing school work and track can become difficult but it’s not impossible. I will usually do most assignments during lunch or stay up late after practice. Track does not take up every day of the week, so either way, it’s not that bad.”
RamPage: As a freshman has balancing sports and school work ever been difficult?
Lopez: “The few times balancing became difficult was when I had essays due the day after track. Having to study but also train can be difficult, but I found a balance.”
Track Team Athlete Assita K.(freshman)
RamPage: What made you want to join the track team?
Assita: “I like to run, and I am with many other freshman, sophomores, and seniors. Having them on the team makes me want to challenge myself.”
RamPage: What is it like being on the track team with seniors?
Assita: “It’s fine, because we aren’t really running against them! But the seniors are fast and good.”
RamPage: Besides being on the track team, what other sport would you have played, and why?
Assita: “I would have tried out for the volleyball team, mainly because it seems fun. I wanted to try out for track first before volleyball, so I will probably try out for volleyball junior year.”
RamPage: Is it hard to be on the track team and still maintain a good grade-point average in all your classes?
Assita: “Well, I try my best with doing that; but I make sure that my grades come first. Track team is really important to me, but I want to make sure that I pass all my classes. Plus you can’t be on the track team–or any other school team–with failing grades.”
RamPage: What was the biggest benefit for you when you joined the track team?
Assita: “The biggest benefit for me was making new friends because we all have fun while doing a sport that we like. I think in any sport that you join, making new friends is a huge benefit. Plus the [team] experience makes joining the sport really worth while.”
Track Team Athlete: Amirah Torrence (freshman)
RamPage: What made you join the track team?
Torrence: “I joined the track team because I wanted to be part of an extracurricular activity. Track was a good choice because it was a way to make friends and exercise.”
RamPage: What are the benefits of joining the track team for you?
Amirah: “The benefits of joining the tack team are meeting new people, staying in shape, and it looks good to colleges to see that you are a well-rounded person.”
RamPage: Will you be staying on the track team next year, and if so why?
Amirah: “I am not sure if I am going to run track next year, because I want to try other sports. Track is a great sport to participate in, but I think I want to try something new.”
RamPage: Besides track, what other sport might you have played?
Amirah: “Volleyball and basketball are two other sports that I would participate in other than track. I have played both of those sports in gym class and it was fun. SoI would consider those two.”
RamPage: How do you manage both being on the track team with completing school work?
Amirah: “It is not easy managing track and school especially when you’re tired. But I try my best. During my free time I try to do some homework. Like on my way to school or on my way home from practice, so by the time I get home, I have some work completed ”
RamPage: As a freshman has balancing ever been difficult?
Amirah: “ Yes, at times balancing the two has been difficult! But if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”