OPINION – By Coach Paul Iekel, Atlantic Track & Field

Do you like to compete?  Are you the type of person who wants to be the best at something? Track and Field is the sport for you.  Sprints, Distance, Hurdles, Jumps, and Throws: there are so many different types of activities that anybody can find an event to be successful in if they are willing to put in the work.  Do you want to compete against the best?  Atlantic Track & Field qualifies students for the state track meet every year (how many other sports can say that?).  Can you be one of them?

Do you like to challenge yourself?  Are you the type of person who always wants a higher grade, wants to make one more free throw, and be just a little bit better at something than you were last week?  Track and Field is the sport for you.  Every time you run, throw, or jump you get a measure of whether you’re improving.  Success doesn’t have to be compared with others; you know when you are better.  And there’s a special pride when you do something better than you ever have before!

Do you want to be better at another sport?  The skills and conditioning found in Track and Field will help you in every other sport, and help make you a better athlete.  I have witnessed awkward-looking ninth graders with zero apparent athletic ability qualify for the state meet in hurdles in their senior year.  You never know what you can accomplish until you invest time and energy; track & field is a good investment of your time, whether you are wanting to play football, run cross-country, or play volleyball, baseball/softball, or basketball.  Speed, power, quickness, jumping ability, and endurance are skills developed in track that make you better in these other sports.

The biggest excuses I hear for not going out for track & field is “running laps on the track is boring” and “I’m just going to run by myself.”  This is so frustrating for me as a coach.  Everybody who wants to get better at something has to practice, and practice is a lot easier when you are with a team of people who also want to improve.  I would much rather be with a team of people who want to get better, encourage each other, and cheer as we compete against others.  Those people who think they can do that better alone are lying to themselves, and are selfishly robbing others of their talents and abilities.

If you are good at and committed to another spring sport – great!  Do it well.  But if that doesn’t describe you I hope you will come out and give Track & Field your best.  We will start February 11 (for those not out for winter sports).  Our first meet (boys) is March 15th.  The State Track Meet is May 16-18.