Nikki Skyer, Sports Editor & Caleb Smith, Staff Writer

This year, Northview’s track team went through many changes in an effort to improve the motivation and skill level of its members. They lowered the number of students running this season based on their skill and agility and allowed seniors to help motivate their underclassmen to accomplish their goals on and off the track. These changes could be what Northview needs to make it to the top.

In previous seasons, all those who were interested in participating in track were welcome. Coming into this season, Coach Danny Young chose times that all runners were required to make during tryouts. If a runner could not complete the distance in the given time, they were not placed on the team. This change resulted in almost half of the group that tried out being cut. The runners who made the time were then split into two groups, returning varsity and new varsity. The team has been adjusting to these new tryouts, but they believe that there will be more adjustments made to help them during the season. 

“A lot of things have changed this year, and the team is still trying to figure out its identity, so I think there will be even more changes to come,” senior Yonatan Beyene said.

The changes that were put in place for this year’s track season to see how much it would affect the team caused runners to show real passion and put forth a tremendous amount of effort to reveal hidden skills. The coaches believed it would be beneficial to improve the skills of the players and make the team run smoother. 

“I feel like it made the teamwork a little bit harder just to know they have to make it over that milestone and beat what they had last year to get where they need to be,” senior Javon Cawthorn said.

The track team is now working through another season and hoping to come out of it successfully. There have been several setbacks for the group, having lost a large number of seniors from last year and dealing with weather conditions that are not ideal. The current upperclassmen are working to be good role models for the younger runners and push them to be the best they can be. Andrew Tenbrink, a junior who has been doing track since freshman year, is feeling good about being a leader this year and helping the team improve for his senior season.  

“This year has been better than previous years, and we are looking good for the upcoming meets,” Tenbrink said.  

The team has been making an effort to bond and have a good dynamic for the season. The runners recognize the importance of having a strong connection as a team and plan to continue working on this throughout the season.

Unfortunately, like all other spring sports, the track season was cut short due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.  The track program hopes to implement changes when the time comes for another season; they are excited to see what future seasons have in store for them.