Track is sometimes just a way for athletes to stay in shape for other sports, but for some people, track is their sport. They have set goals for each season that they feel they must accomplish by the end of the season. Physical Education teacher and coach Mark Ward works hard to make sure a set work out for the sprinters is in hand, and goals are set for each season “Have fun, to win league and take people to state,” are his goals, said Ward.

Sprinters work hard each day to get faster then they were before.Ward has a set list for a workout each day. Ward is there to help each individual athlete to get better. Every meet they video the runners to be able to go back and see what they can improve on, whether it’s the way the sprinters come out of the starting blocks, their form when they run, or even the way they lean at the end to get over the finish line faster.

Throwers and jumpers work just as hard as the runners on the team, getting stronger to throw the longer distances. The athletes are constantly in the weight room or throwing on the field. Coach Bill Braun helps them to put their best foot forward.

“He has been the one that has helped me tremendously and I can’t thank him enough for all that he has done for me to get me where I am today,” said senior Mason Salley. The 2016 season was Salley’s first. “ I decided I wasn’t going to try out for baseball last year, so my parents told me to go out for track. I am doing track again this year because I enjoyed it a lot last year and had a lot of fun,” said Salley.

The long distance team works just as hard, whether it’s just running around Silverdale to develop their endurance or running on the track to improve their form and speed. “I want to be able to test myself and my abilities,” said junior Sam Linton. Although track and field is an individual sport, the long distance team works together to help push one another to succeed. Most of the distance athletes get their inspiration from Coach Chris who helps push them to do their best. “The distance coach, Coach Chris, is one of my biggest inspirations because he comes to practice every day, even though he has a job, and is dedicated to helping us get better,” said Linton.