The indoor track season at Erie highschool provides a kickstart to the spring season and gives extra training to those who want it.
In a highschool setting, indoor track is not a seasonal sport but considered more of a club. Brandon Havard, the head track coach and dean of students at Erie High School says, “ The main benefit of it is to get highschoolers ready to hit the ground running for the outdoor season. Getting in shape, getting ready to roll, already having that competition piece in your head, knowing how to get out the blocks, knowing your markings and things like that.”
With that being said, the indoor track practice is just a way to give the students that run track and field a better advantage when it comes to the outdoor season. Indoor track teaches these students what to do and how to do it on an in-depth level. “With preseason last year, I really noticed an improvement in everyone and how I was doing things.” says Samuel Clouse.
This program is more of a learning experience that gets down to the little things that aren’t always focused on during the actual spring season, such as technique rather than conditioning, teaching rather than just doing it, room for injuries, and break days rather than the constant need to push to be the best.
During these few weeks of indoor training they focus on blocks, form, relay handoffs, relay markings, learning the marks for jumps, and etc. Havard explains, “Those who have to sprint those short distances, like from home to first base for example, indoor track offers a great opportunity to learn how to run short distances. You run a 60 meter sprint instead of a full 100 for example.”
Indoor track also gives the students who don’t usually run track such as football, softball, soccer, baseball, etc a chance to train for the shorter distance such as the 60m. Not only is indoor track for track runners but it could be for anyone who needs to get faster for short distances or even long. Under no circumstances do the people who decide to participate in indoor track have to do the normal season.
Indoor track is just a way to get in shape faster and learn everything needed to know for the actual spring season.
