Blackhawks Boys and Girls Track is looking to make a statement in GSL competition with a veteran roster of athletes returning this season.
“Our motto is ‘Leave it better than you got it,”’ Head Coach Derek Slaughter said, “and I think that is fitting in perfectly with the mentality of our leaders.”
Leadership, Slaughter said, is the strength of both squads this year.
“I believe the guys and girls really do have amazing leadership from our upperclassmen,” Slaughter said. “This will really help catch us up on the fundamentals in track and field.”
Slaughter will lean on two veterans on the boy’s team: senior distance runner Finn Syrie and junior sprinter Braxton Hinton.
“Finn is the epitome of ‘if you work hard, you will get better.’ This year is the season for him to show off all the hard work he has put in for four years,” Slaughter said. “Braxton is one of the fastest sprinters in the city and is ready for his first-ever full season of running with hopes of getting to state.”
Slaughter expects Marley Fox, who competes in the javelin event and hurdler Hannah Ayers to set the example for the girl’s team.
“Marley has been one of the cornerstones of our amazing javelin program that has produced state champions and places for the last 10 years. She’s ready to lead this new group to that same success,” Slaughter said. “Hannah is such a hard worker and people will follow her as a role model—she’ll run through hurdles if you ask her to.”
Slaughter said the weakness of each squad stem from a lack of opportunities to perform at meets due to COVID, which had shortened their seasons the past couple of years.
“The juniors and seniors haven’t had a real track season for the last two years and the freshman had a five weeks season last year and did not really learn track,” Slaughter said.
The Blackhawks will find out what they are made of when they compete in the CV Invite at Central Valley High School on March 26.
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