The track team has had a very successful season, as multiple students advanced to regionals last weekend April 27-28.

Senior Justin Malcom, a distance runner, said that he thinks that majority of the qualified runners would advance to state.

“It’s exciting to see my teammates compete and do well in their events and continue to progress to the point where they are making it out of districts and area, and hopefully to state,” Malcom said.

Since it was Malcom’s senior year, he said he wanted this season to be different, and his best.

“I had a different mindset this year. I wanted to leave everything I had all out on the table since it was my last year and I didn’t want to say I had any regrets. I tried to soak up the experience even more this year,” Malcom said.

Also, Malcom said that since he was a senior, he was able to observe other runners and notice their positive future with the program.

“There were a lot of young talented runners who I saw run this year who have a lot of potential and could end up doing extremely well in the next couple years,” Malcom said.

Junior Leanna Cobb said that the track season’s success can be accredited to the fact that most of the runners ran together in cross country. She added that the team acts as a family.

“I think that Coach Tuzzi may not always win or may not always have great seasons because truth is, running is hard to be consistent,” Cobb said. “Despite this, Coach Tuzzi has created such a family with this group of runners, and we are all so close.”

In addition to this, Cobb said that even though track was challenging, that she looked forward to running because of her team and coach.

“Our track team has done a great job of making all of the team members feel included and have a great group of coaches that encourage all kids to try new things and new field events.”

Cobb says that this season has been different than others because she branched out into different events.

“I normally would have only focused on long distance,” Cobb said. “This year the coaches encouraged me to try discus, which was very new. Our coaches were very encouraging and I am so glad I was able to try something new even though I wasn’t the best at it. I grew as a person.”

In relation to Cobb’s views on the coaches and the bond created by the team, Malcom said that the coaching staff succeeded in making all event teams close.

“I ran the mile so I ran in the distance group which was separate from the sprinters and hurdle groups,” Malcom said. “Coach Tuzzi, Coach Reid, and Coach Laughlin really helped in making the separate groups a team.”

“I think that our coaches do an amazing job of making this sport a family. There are not many sports that you have to spend 10 hours in the blazing heat and freezing cold rain just to run for 10 minutes. To have a coaching staff and group of students that can make that enjoyable is truly something special,” Cobb said.

Malcom added that he was thankful for the opportunity to run track and had one thing to share with his team.

“To my fellow seniors, it’s been amazing to be able to run with y’all these past four years. To the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, good luck to all of you. I’m excited to see what this group of people can accomplish,” Malcom said.

Cobb concluded by saying that she is proud to be in track.

“I am extremely proud to be a part of this organization and the things we are doing,” Cobb said.

This idea of gratitude for the track family becomes prominent throughout the school and shows through Cobb and Malcom.

“Track has let me meet people I would have not met otherwise and I’m thankful for that,” Malcom said.

Camryn Horst