Often times when I ask a student to think about coming out and running on the track team, I get a blank stare or a really weird look from them.  It's like I just asked them for their first born child and the reaction is "Why would I want to do something like that?".  Here are the reasons why you should join the track team.  

1) IMPROVED ATHLETICISM  -  

This one is especially for all those people who are playing other sports and are serious about becoming better at them. In track, our objective is to make people better athletes.  Track and field events focus on athletic qualities such as speed, endurance, acceleration, quickness, power, and jumping ability.  Track and field athletes are just that:  they are athletes who can easily compete in any type of sport.  Each of the qualities mentioned above can directly transfer to most other sports.  For example, speed and acceleration are obviously important in getting to a ball or a tackle;  jumping ability is also important when going after a ball whether it be a volleyball, football, or soccer ball;  the player with better endurance is likely to perform better late in games.   Think about how your performance in the sport that you normally play would improve if your speed, acceleration, stamina, quickness, and jumping ability also improved.  During practice, we focus on improving and developing these skills through form runs, weightlifting, plyometric drills, and a variety of other activities.  You can use track and field as your offseason fitness program and the bottom line is that when you return to play your favorite sport, you will be better at it because you'll be a better ATHLETE.

Let me give you an example of how this has worked in the past.  Jordan Meyers was a sprinter for us during his junior year.  After the season, I was watching him go through testing for football.  After he ran a 4.55 - 40 yard dash, he came over and told me, "I can't believe how much track just helped with that".  Obviously Jordan's major sport is football but he came out for track to become a better football player.  As most of you probably know, Jordan is now on a football scholarship at Ohio University.

Ask yourself this:  are you serious about getting better at the sport or sports that you normally play?  We can help!

2) GETTING IN SHAPE -

This one is pretty self explanatory.  If you come out for track, you are going to get into shape and what isn't good about that??  A few days before he participated in the State meet, Curt Weidner told me that he was "in the best shape of his life".


3) SUCCESS -

The track & field program has traditionally been one of the most successful teams at Harrison.  The girl's and boy's teams have combined for 20 league titles and the only 2 - time state champion in the history of the school was a track runner.  Currently, the girl's team won their first league title in nearly 13 years and we have had qualifiers at the Regional meet for 16 straight years and qualifiers at the State meet for 8 of the last 9 years.  In the past 10 years, we've had 28 school records broken, 10 FAVC MVPs, 17 District Champions, 55 Regional meet qualifiers, 4 Regional Champions, 13 State meet qualifiers (with 6 of those placing in the top 8), and 2 State Champions.

Because of the unique nature of the sport, track & field allows you to experience success in two ways:  as an individual and as a team.  If you are a great athlete on a team that struggles, it is easy to get frustrated with the lack of overall success.  One of the great things about track is that no matter what level the whole team is performing at, you can still achieve at a level that satisfies you.

One final measure of success is what track can offer you after you graduate from high school:  scholarships and the chance to compete in collegiate athletics.  Over the past 15 years, numerous track athletes from Harrison
have been offered scholarships and/or been given a chance to run for a college team.  If this is something that you are interested in, that opportunity is definitely there for you.


STILL NOT CONVINCED?  ASK SOMEONE FROM THE TEAM ABOUT IT OR COME AND SEE ME (COACH MENZE - ROOM 101)