The race is on for the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Track and Field participants. With practice starting on Feb. 26, their first meet is scheduled for March 27, against Nordonia.

The team has boys head coach, Robert Schank, and girls head coach, Amy Dubasak. On top of head coaches, the team also has five coaching staff to help with the various events like boys and girls sprints, boys and girls relay, long jump, high jump, hurdles and pole vault.

The team practices every weekday after school from 3:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the track. Practice starts with two laps around the track, warm-ups as a team, a five minute break and then they break off into their respective groups.

Justin Habig, senior and six year member of track and field, does shot put and discus. “I think track and field is fun, I’ve grown very dedicated to my craft,” says Habig.

Shot put and discus are two of the many events an athlete can participate in. For shot put they throw either a 12 pound metal ball if they’re male or an 8.8 pound metal ball if they’re female. As for discus, they throw a disc that would either be 3.5 pounds for males or 2.2 pounds for females. According to SportsEngine Play, thrower’s in these events need balance, speed and explosive strength.

Habig’s goals for this season are going to states and to continue to improve by working on his form, stretching with bands and staying in the weight room.

As for field events, shot put and discus are two of the main events, but there are also events like long jump, high jump, hurdles and pole vault.

For long jump, an athlete must use speed and strength to jump as far out as possible. High jump is when athletes jump over a horizontal bar at various heights without dislodging it.

In track, hurdles are a popular event. An athlete must be able to get over a series of hurdles while sprinting a certain distance, whether it be 100 meters, 110 meters or 300 meters. The heights are set differently, for males it is 39 inches high and for females, 33 inches high.

The last field event is pole vault, where an athlete uses a long, flexible pole to help get over a horizontal bar. The objective for pole vault is to see who can get the highest over the bar.

Moving on from field events, we have the track events. In track, there are two groups, sprinters and distance runners. The workouts vary for both groups, but they both require a lot of focus and speed.

Swarika Totapally, freshman and three-year-runner, has always liked running and the adrenaline rush she gets. “In the past, my main events were the 400m, 200m and sometimes 4x100m,” says Totapally.

The 400m dash can be seen as both a sprint and a mid-distance event, while the 200m dash and 4x100m relay are considered a sprint. The 400m dash is a whole lap around the track while the 200m dash is half. With the 4x100m relay, you have groups of four sprinters placed at each 100m mark on the track and they sprint to one another with a baton in their hand, this is known as a relay race.

The other sprint events you can run are 100m dash and 4x200m dash, along with the 4x400m dash.

Jared Ryan, junior and sprinter, has been running track since he was in seventh grade. He likes the sport because it is a “very straightforward and social sport.” He runs the 400m, 4x400m relay and 4x200m relay. “My goal for this upcoming season is to run sub 50 in the 400,” said Ryan.

According to TrackSpikes.Co.UK, the average time for a 400m dash for boys is 58 seconds, while the “elite” time is 48 seconds.

Lucy Keco, sophomore and sprinter, runs the 4x400m relay and the 200m dash. “I think my goals for the season are to work on my form and to have a fun time,” says Keco.

All in all, track and field is a fun sport. The athletes have made many memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Totapally says her favorite memory from track was when they were coming back from a North Royalton meet in eighth grade. “I just remember the bus ride back, being so hyped because we won. All of us were singing, dancing and having fun.”

To see more on the BBHHS Track & Field visit: www.beestrackandfield.blogspot.com