WKHS track is composed of a diverse selection of athletes participating in a variety of events. The track team has improved significantly from last year since a lot of athletes have gotten better and the team has received new athletes in the freshman class. WKHS track excels in our distance competitions with athletes like Ryan Smith and Trent Kern.
Track events are structured with distance, sprinting, and field events.
Track event scoring is more complex than cross country. The team tries to get the most points from events. In relay events, the team receives 5 points for securing a win. For all individual events, 1st place awards the team 10 points, 2nd place contributes 8 points, 3rd place adds 6 points, 4th place earns 5 points, 5th place gathers 4 points, 6th place gains 3 points, 7th place collects 2 points, and 8th place yields 1 point.
One of the pillars of the track team is Gavin Wang. He participates in sprints, jumps, hurdles, and throws. He possesses both strength and speed. “I think the reason why I found success this season was that in the off-season I worked a lot and put in more time than my competition,” said Wang. When I asked him what were the biggest factors he responded “Indoor track made a huge difference since I got to participate in more events which reduced the time which it took to get used to competition again”. The person who influenced Wang the most was “Coach Hicks because she motivated me to do better and always keep working”.
Another key member of the organization is Trent Kern. Kern participates in the 200, 400, and long jump. “My favorite event is the 200 because I can go 100% effort the whole time,” said Kern. He also did indoor track season which “helped a lot with keeping me fit during the winter” said Kern. Kern also mentioned that “football conditioning helps me build more endurance and mental strength”. Kern said, “my favorite teammate is Andrew Bunge because he’s always been a great role model and a nice guy”.
Beyond the individual achievements of the athletes, it is the spirit of the track team that sets them apart. It is clear from every event that everyone pushes the their teammates to perform their best. A good example of this is their 4 by 4 relay chant. This energy ensures the athletes are motivated to do their best.
Overall the WKHS Track team is composed of great athletes and amazing coaches. These people shine through in the team’s achievements serving as role models for athletes to come.
