This school year was a particularly hard one due to ongoing unproductive negotiations over our contract. It drained me in a way I didn't expect, and I did not have the time or energy to write the blog this outdoor season.
I do want to take a moment to acknowledge the growth of this season. We had so many newbees join us and re-energize the team in a way I didn't think possible. The veterans showed them the ropes, and then they flew! I was so excited to see how this young group performed at our home NSC meet (yes, hosting that and the boys the following week also contributed to my fatigue, but it was fun, too!). We capped the season with a memorable trip to State; Kennilyn was our sole qualifier, making it in the 100 by overcoming seemingly impossible odds! She made it on time from the third of four heats. Her new PR of 12.81 was an impressive feat that day! We loaded up plenty of supporters (Auriel, Janiyah, Brionne, Niyanna, & Taliyah) onto the bus and headed to Charleston. Kenn got to compete during the day, and the young ones got the chance to experience EIU's track under the lights. It was a magical evening, filled with line dancing?!, great races, and laughs. We watched the finals in awe of the intense competition and in hope of what we could do in future seasons. Overall it was a season to remember, and it definitely invited the next generation to step up to greatness!
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On Friday night, we were able to give more people a chance to step up to the competition. The facility at Lakes is simply stunning with a great racing surface, jumbo results board, and plenty of space. I'm going to be honest, though: the meet felt like a whirlwind with both the men and women competing. Here's what stood out to me:
Women Taking Risks:
Saturday, February 10, 2024
A New Beginning In the fall, Coach Anderson, Mr. Niemi, and I began our search for a new head men's track & field coach after Coach Lee retired with his son, Derion. We knew that we had a big task: we needed to find someone to bring back the energy and dedication to greatness that used to be the hallmark of all Zee-Bee Track & Field. Sure, the boys took 2nd at Conference last year just like us, but we knew that we needed someone special to bring our collective success up a notch. Enter the chat: Coach Rios. Once he was hired, Coach and I attended two coaching clinics and spent countless hours talking schedules, strategy and State dreams. When the season actually began, I was relieved to have Coach Rios's energy to help start things right until all of our coaches were available to join us (after basketball season concluded). Not only did he help us feel more united, but he also helped set the standard of the 2024 season: Domination. It felt fitting to start the season at the Valentine Relays--a co-ed meet. Featuring only the 4X200, 4X800, and 4X400, it was a perfect way to shake off some rust, set the nucleus, and support one another as a full team. It felt almost like XC as our men and women climbed onto the bus for the ride to Proviso. As coaches, we did not know what to expect from this meet. Would it be efficient with over 35 teams listed? Would it provide our athletes with the competition we desired? All of those questions were answered as the day unfolded. As we entered the main gym, the designated area for team camps, there was a definite buzz in the air. There is nothing like the start of the season feeling: Nerves about competing for the first time of the year; Worries about the training completed thus far; Hopes for a good beginning. I could feel the anxiousness of our entire crew as we set into the business of getting ready. 4X200: Our relay of Beals, Waters, Yehudah, and Gray-Matthews did a great job of getting the jitters out while practicing "handoffs." I put it in quotes because indoor handoffs are simply messy. There are no designated lanes, and trying to do a blind handoff is just silly. So we worked on open handoffs while we waited for our heat of the race. Beals did a great job of getting out of the blockas after a year off! Her opening leg reminded me of the fiery competitiveness I met when she first joined track last year. She looked sharp after only a handful of practices. Nice work, sophomore! Lil' Miss Waters finally got the chance to be PUSHED, and she did a great job of responding to the pressure. While her race was solid, her reaction to it afterwards speaks volumes about her willingness to grow. Proud of your mindset, freshie! Tikia was our third leg, and her form looked GREAT! Like Janiyah, her reaction after the race is what stands out. She talked about getting out harder and trusting her training--two great lessons to take away from a rust-buster race! Nice work, senior! Finally, Leah brought us home, but not before navigating that messiness of handoffs I alluded to earlier. She did not let the trip up deter her, though. She ran a great leg to bring us home strong! We ended up 24th overall in 2:05.23, a fine start to the season. I loved how these four helped each other with nerves before the race and hyped each other up after. Special shout out to Auriel for acting as Mother Hen to these four, helping them with warm up, blocks, and handoffs. I see you, sophie! 4X800: I was excited to see what this crew of Jimenez, Torres, Varsek and Gutierrez would do, as all four have been training hard since the start of the season! Jana started her junior year as a new woman after an impressive summer of training and a new mindset about racing. I was stoked to see that same mindset feed into today's race. Jana RACED these girls, elbows out, passing and defending. Her efforts were rewarded with the fastest split on the relay: 2:49! That's a great start to the season! More importantly, Jana handed off to Liz in a great spot. Like I asked, Liz got out hard for her first lap. She asked me to yell "Nico Young" at her as motivation (Liz has become our female track & field historian--a true student of her sport!). She reacted each time I said it, putting in nice surges each time! Her 3:14 was a solid result for the day! Rach was third and got after it, racing hard for her girls despite battling a stomach issue. Like Liz, she got out hard and then worked to get close to some competition so that Fia would have people to pull on. Her 3:02 is a great place for her to start the season! Finally, Sofia nearly mirrored Jana's splits. She got out hard, stayed consistent, and passed a girl from Joliet Central, then wisely glided over to prevent the runner from passing her on the inside. LIke Jana, Sofia had an awakening as a racer this past fall, and she is still awake for track! Post-race, I leaned in to congratulate her, and she owned her great move before I could even finish my sentence. If there is something I love as a coach, it is when athletes OWN THEIR GREATNESS! I'm getting giddy just writing about it! Overall, we placed 15th out of 25 teams. I was super excited about all four women's races. Proud of you, booskis! 4X400: When I was building this relay, Brionne reminded me that we are going to have sprinters on this relay this year! So to start the season, we went 50/50: Anesa and Brionne with Nyana and Tati. Pre-race, we talked about the first six seconds being "free" in this race. Anesa started us strong with that mindset. She got out well and ran a smart race, handing off to Bri in 72. Brionne ran a picture-perfect race. Not only did she use that six seconds of free energy, but she wasn't afraid to challenge herself mid-race. When I went back to see where she opened the season last year, she was securely in the 70s, but today she dropped a pretty 66. She handed off to Nyana who used that six seconds to push, and then kept going for the first lap. She suffered in the second lap as a result, but she challenged herself to finish strong. Post-race, she looked at me and said, "I forgot to back off to a seven on the backstretch!" Yep! Lesson learned! I love that she was willing to try this race and push! She ran an 86 the hard way, and I know that she will apply this race to the next. Nice job, Ny! Finally, Tati has been impressing me this season. She puts the same energy in the first and last interval, and all the ones in between. She got out hard and pushed her second lap, too. She dropped a 79 for her 4X400 debut as a junior, looking so smooth the whole way! Races like this will make her tougher for the hurdles for sure! Overall, we placed 26 out of 36 teams. Nice work, bees! On the ride home, I felt excited about the potential of the season. Surrounded by great coaches, I started to think about my first years coaching at ZB, listening to stories of ZB greats. I cannot wait to see what story our team writes this year. I have a really good feeling about it! |
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