Indoor track leaves opponents in dust

Written By:
Danielle Melville

Published:
Dec. 18 2009

Finishing last year on a high note, the indoor track team prepares for the upcoming season and looks to improve upon last year’s success. Head coach Julie Trapp led the first scrimmage of the season at Prince Georges Sportsplex on December 9.

“It is a good group, everyone is working hard at practice and getting their work done. A lot of new kids are on the team this year, but it’s not as big of a team as in the past,” Trapp said. 

The new members of the team have been stepping it up especially in the long jump and the high jump. The team has done well in filling the spots of the players who departed from the team last year.

“At the meet most of the runners did well. Junior Mark Orebiyi, who is new to the team, does the long jump and the triple jump. He had two clean jumps; it was really good for a new runner who does not have a lot of experience,” Trapp said.

During the off-season most runners kept in shape by running outdoor track and playing other sports.

“To keep in shape I did summer track with my coach. It was a lot of hard work, but it was fun too, because I’m so ready for this season it’s really been paying off,” sophomore Dee Dee Akapate said.

Hard work, endurance and persistence all make a good runner. These Springbrook athletes work hard both on and off the track and are able to show this hard work during competitions.

 “If you want to be good and you practice hard, you’re going to be good.” Trapp said. 

 The 4 × 20 relay team includes sophomores Xavier Nelson, Jordan Williams, junior Tony Dantzler, and junior Etienne Bodog-Bikim.

“I think this season is going to be good. I feel like everything is falling in place. I think we can get the job done this season,” Nelson said. “At the first developmental meet I think we did fairly well. There were a lot of new guys. It was good to see them.”

 There are many new runners, including freshman David Soriano and Mihdi Afnan and sophomores Naimbai Njerakey and Brandon Creary.

“It would be nice to have a few people qualify for states but most of all I expect them to have fun, and do their best, which is all thats really important,” Trapp said.

The Montgomery County Invitational will be on January 9, with 140 schools all from throughout the east coast attending.

This is the ninth year that it will be going on. Meets are usually eight to 10 hours long and include 140 teams. The second divisional meet is on December 29 and will have 24 teams which opens up a lot of oppurtunities for the team due to more available race slots.

“Because there will be far fewer schools in attendance, there will be less restrictions on participants for each event it will give them a chance to participate in more events. The extra spaces to race kids in will be great and allow not only far more racers but a much more timely event most likely only four hours as opposed to eight” Trapp said.