Last Wednesday was the first meet of the 2021 girls’ winter track season at POBJFK! Despite the challenging circumstances presented this year, the girls’ winter track team is still going strong and the team is able to proudly run and represent our school. This season, all of the girls were very excited to reunite with their team members and train together amidst the craziness of this year. Distance runner Emilly Weprin says, “I love track, running, and being a member of the long-distance team!”
As for the logistics of the sport during this time, track is considered a low-risk sport because it takes place outdoors and naturally does not involve any physical contact between athletes. However, there were still a few adjustments that needed to be made in order to allow for track to continue. All team members are required to wear masks during practices and fill out health screeners prior to training. Meets have been altered as well. Rather than running against athletes from other schools in-person, the team now participates in virtual meets. Only the athletes from our school are present at the meet and have their times recorded by an official. These times are later compared to those of athletes from other schools. What matters most is that the girls’ team is still able to revel in the fun and competitive spirit that is guaranteed to come from a team sport, as eloquently stated by sprinter Melissa Wynne, “I love track because it gives you the drive to run and a common goal to share with your team. I love the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction after the race.” Great job to the girls’ winter track team! Reported by Amanda Kang |