Track & Field Spring is right around the corner and so is the sport track and field. Dimond head girls track and field coach Kathleen Navarre said, “The team looks pretty good.” There are multiple disciplines in the track and field sport, Senior Anton Werin said “I do long-distance, 1600 meter and 3200 meter.” Long-distance is just one of the few events you can do in the track sport. You can do sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps, throws and much more. “I do Hurdles and 800 meter,” said Sophomore Jae Ham, who has been on track for two years. “I wanted to stay in shape,” said Werin Staying in shape is a good thing for your health, but instead of just going home after school and sitting in front of a screen high school kids should get out. “I also think that it is very important to raise awareness amongst a generation of teenagers who live off of Pop-Tarts and energy drinks about making healthy choices,” said Dimond boys track and field coach Scott Campbell. Doing track is also a great excuse for going outside to enjoy the pretty flowers and leaves that are about to grow out. Students and coaches are hoping that the spring time will go fast so the summer can be here soon. Campbell said, “My favorite season unequivocally is summer, so I like coaching the sport of track and field in particular because I feel like it helps to usher in the time summer months.” There are many different reasons to love track and field. Navarre said “Working with athletes and watching them improve and reach their goals.” Track and field is a great way for students to make new friends, but it is also a great way for the teachers who coaches the team to get to know their students outside the classroom. Even for students there are a endlessly reasons to do and love the sport. Ham said “Being with friends and do racing.” It might be great making new friends, working with students and enjoying the start of summer, but there are also some disadvantages. Sophomore Kemi Wolfe said, “The days when you just don’t feel like running, you just need to push yourself.” Track and field might be a spring sport, but living in Alaska the winter is longer than the track and field people like. “In spite of my admission just a moment ago about liking track and field because it is an indicator that summer is approaching, it is enormously frustrating to coach a sport where two-thirds of the season has to be conducted indoors because of the unforgiving Alaskan climate,” Campbell said. Despite the weather, it sounds like the track and field team is working hard. Werin said, “We actually have to work hard.” It seems like all the hard work that Werin and company is paying off, “Individually, we have got some very accomplished athletes whom I expect will spend some time on the podium this season,” said Campbell. On the girls side, a strong team is also rising at Dimond, both seniors and freshmen. “We have some strong senior returning athletes in Maddie Imig and Amelia Hennessey as well as a couple of transfers that are going to do well for us, Chrisalyn Johnson and Taylor Sims,” said Navarre. “The big question is whether or not we will be able to take that talent and manufacture it into something that earns us a team trophy at the end of the season,” Campbell said. Hopefully all the talents will bring home a trophy for Dimond, and all we can do is wish them all good luck.