WHS track enters season with lack of experience

Jacob Meseke | sports editor

The track team will travel to Lyndon tomorrow for their first meet of the season and the first meet since the 2019 season.

The team returns two state placers from 2019. Jace Reves, one of two seniors on the team, placed in the 800 meter run. Junior Lauren Schutter placed in the long jump and was the state champion in the triple jump. The team also returns two more state qualifiers: junior Madison Schurle qualified in the 100 meter hurdles and junior Aiden Boeckman qualified in the 4×100 relay and the 100 meter dash. 

Postseason meets are always a focus for the team. 

“Key meets are always: League, Regional, and State.  Some other regular season meets that have lots of good competition are the Pre-State Challenge in Wichita and the meet at Burlington,” said head track coach Roger Alderman.

With having no season last year due to COVID-19, the team lacks a lot of experience. 

“We have much less experience than before.  Jace Reves is the only one on the team with more than 1 year of HS Track experience.  Aiden (Boeckman), Justin (Carlson), Lauren (Schutter), and Madison (Schurle) each have 1 year of high school track and no one else has completed a full year of high school track,” Alderman said. 

Underclassmen will get to compete at the varsity level right away.

“Since there are 17 boys events and 17 girls events, our underclassmen usually get to compete at the varsity level right away,” Alderman said.

Like all sports this season, track will have to adapt to some COVID protocols.

“The only thing different is the COVID protocols.  We always train to make everyone a better athlete first and then work to improve specific events so the training is the same.  The only other difference is that State Track will be a 1 day meet instead of 2 days,” Alderman said.

Having lots of state qualifiers will be a big goal for the team.

“We focus on being our best at the end of the season for the League, Regional, and State Meets.  We hope to qualify lots of events for State and compete for medals when we get there,” Alderman said.