Track season has officially started with the first official practice being held Jan. 22 after school. New and returning runners met to meet the coaches, other runners and showcase their skills through tryouts. However, not all runners were able to attend the tryouts as a result of various conflicts, including the fall sports still in progress as well as additional team commitments outside of school athletics.

Junior Sydney Eisert, who has been a part of the track team since ninth grade, was unable to attend the tryouts because of her commitment to a competitive dance team.

“I dance at a place called Rhythm in Motion after school pretty much everyday of the week, which is difficult to balance with track because those practices are also after school everyday,” Eisert said. “This is the first year I was unable to make it to the tryouts, but the coaches have been very flexible and understanding when it comes to people having to miss a few practices here and there because of other sport conflicts.”

Despite missing the first practice, Eisert shows her hopes for the upcoming season.

“I am hoping to have a successful season and to better my personal record. I compete in the long jump and the triple jump, but the long jump is my favorite,” she said. “I actually started track because I was watching the Olympics and other track meets on TV and decided I wanted to give it a try.”

In addition to Eisert, junior Leighton Johnson, who started running on the middle school track team in seventh grade, and part of the high school team since ninth grade, was unable to make it to tryouts because of the overlapping schedule with the boys’ soccer team.

“This happens every year where track starts but soccer is still in season, and we still have districts and regions coming up, so we have soccer practice still. I usually wait until the soccer season is over before I start track,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of sad that I miss the beginning of the season, but i’m excited to lead the team as a captain and also to compete against students at other schools.”

By Jonelle Plahuta