Coached by Mike Adams, Paula Foreman and Damon Luciano, the indoor track team is made up of 47 students.
The majority of these students participate in cross country and/or track during the fall and spring seasons. Athletes claim indoor track has helped them stay in shape for their other sport.
Senior Xavier Midder has been on the team for four years. He also participates in several events for track during the spring
“I do multiple events actually,” Midder said. “For indoor track, I run the 60 meter hurdles, 4 by 200 meter relay, 4 by 400 meter relay, sometimes the open 200 meter relay and I triple jump. For outdoor I run the 110 meter hurdle, 4 by 100 meter relay, sometimes the 100 and 200 meter dash, 4 by 400 meter relay and this year I will be running the 300 meter hurdles.”
Midder believes that indoor track is good for training for his outdoor season.
“Indoor training is more endurance than anything else,” Midder said. “We condition almost everyday, and if we don’t condition then we are practicing our events. It’s definitely hard if you’re not healthy or mentally tough.”
As a senior, Midder will be leaving the team behind this year. He has enjoyed getting to be a role model for some of the younger athletes.
“I take away great leadership skills from indoor track because a lot of freshmen and sophomores will join for their first year, and being able to help them out helps me grow as a leader,” Midder said. “Another thing I take away from indoor is strength because of how mentally and physically challenging it can be.”
Sophomore Brionna Adams has been participating in cross country and track for four years.
“I have been participating in indoor track for two years and I am a mid distance runner. I run the DMR, the 4×8, and the 800.”
Adams joined the indoor track team her freshman year. Her dedication to the indoor track team has improved her ability.
“A benefit of indoor track is that there is great competition, and it really helps you in the long road for outdoor track,” Adams said. “The indoor track is rough, but if you put your mind into it, it will pay off during outdoor.”
Junior Brookelynn Weaver has been participating in indoor track for two years. She joined to stay in shape and train for the spring track season.
“It keeps me moving and helps me gain more strength to be the best athlete I can be,” Weaver said. “Some of the benefits of indoor track are preparing me for the outdoor season, giving me something to do in the winter and the bonds we make with teammates.”
Indoor track athletes use the sport to stay in shape and keep their endurance up.
“Indoor season builds my mental strength for outdoor, and it gets me back into the routine of things,” Weaver said. “Training during indoor track involves a lot of tempo running, doing shuttle runs and some sprinting.”
Junior Emerson Snare is a distance runner and hopes to use indoor track as a way to advance in her spring track season.
“I just feel more prepared for the outdoor season, and hope to make it to states for the 4×8 for both outdoor and indoor,” Snare said.
Snare feels indoor track is a way for her to prepare for outdoor track.
“It gives me a season to adjust from going to cross country, to outdoor track and helps me improve much faster,” Snare said.
Junior Kihlee Noel joined indoor track this year. She is a thrower and does different training than runners.
“Personally, I start practice off with some agility or plyometric work,” Noel said. ”Then I do a lifting workout that targets the muscles used for throwing. Then I end practice off with footwork.”
Noel believes that even though it is beneficial to her outdoor season, indoor is more difficult.
“We don’t have a specific indoor practice area, so it is harder to practice than outdoors,” Noel said. “The workouts that we do are helpful because when I get outdoors, I’ll be stronger than years before. Also we are inside, so all we can really do is footwork so it will just be muscle memory by the outdoor season.”
The team will continue their season throughout March at Penn State University and Youngstown State University.