Senior Pedro Lugo about to run. Retrieved from Malden HS Sports.
This year’s indoor track team has been deemed the team of “young and new talent,” as stated by Jasmine Gray, a junior member of the team. Over the course of the regular season, this new talent has become a part of the indoor track “family,” putting in work and effort to become trained and disciplined athletes.
This year was especially crucial since it is the last year the track team will participate in the Greater Boston League before moving on to the Northeastern Conference next season. The general focus of the team was to win the championship and remain undefeated.
At the start of any track season, all of the varsity runners, as always, wanted to improve their own times and records. Gray herself seeked to qualify for the 1 mile race at the State meet, and although she was not able to meet that goal, she was able to qualify for States in the 4×800 meter team event instead. Junior Oussama Ourich did not originally even have any expectations of being able to go to States, though as the season progressed, he trained hard enough and improved his time enough to qualify for the 1,000 meter event.
As runners trained and raced, records were broken, and accomplishments were made. Not only did the 4×800 girls team, consisting of juniors Gray, Amanda Santorelli, Alexandra Russo, and Kylie DiMaro break the school record, but the 4×400 girls team, made up of senior Taymise Sanders and freshmen Batoul Chouiki, Nour Chouiki, and Olivia Simmons-Normil, broke the indoor record as well, and then the 4×400 team proceeded to break their own record soon after.
Many other athletes also proceeded to surpass their own personal best. Senior Anna Julia Souza, who does shotput, exceeded her best by scoring a 30 meter in her event, reflecting that “[she has been] a constant placer,” but not a “crazy thrower,” as she typically threw around 27 in prior meets, but she was “really proud of [herself],” when she was able to throw for 30. Due to this personal best, Souza qualified and will be going to States.
Senior David Jean felt that “the team this year [had] more energy and talent all around.” Jean also explained that for every race his teammates are there to push him. Souza explained that she feels that a key to success is to not “think about it a lot, just go in, remember what you do, and walk out of the circle and [you’re] done.” Jean feels that “your body doesn’t control your mind, your mind controls your body,” a mantra he keeps with himself throughout a race or at practice. Mindsets like these help get the team ready for meets and succeed.
Though at the beginning of the season some people had their doubts about this new team. Gray stated that she “felt unsure about the depth of our team.” As the season went on, hopes went up. Gray began feeling proud of her team as meets came and passed, teams broke records, and many individuals qualifying for States. With the absence of last year’s seniors, who posed as some of the most important people on the team, many freshmen and sophomores stepped up to the plate. Ourich stated that he “was nervous; [he] didn’t know what to expect,” unlike his teammates Souza and Jean, who were ready and excited to get back in the saddle again.
As athletes reflect on their track experience, everyone came to the conclusion that although training was tough every day, having people that depend on you and cheer you on make it worth it all. Jean explained that he “wouldn’t change anything about track. It’s great the way it is, since there is always people motivating you and telling you what you did wrong [in order to help you improve],” because in the end, “being able to be on a team that feels like family is the greatest thing ever.”
With the regular season coming to an end, the team has only the GBL closing meet and States left.
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