Ready, set … Go!

As the upcoming track season approaches, the Madison girls expect to annihilate the competition and improve from their previous season. In 2017, the Madison girls were district champions leading them to state. They hope to return to state and break even more records. As they go into the season, they’re expecting great things from Rayven Nealey,  Kayeli Wasden, Morgan Hurst, Sarah Lemon, and many others. Last year, three school records were beaten. Nealey got first in the state for the triple jump–jumping a total distance of  39’ 5.5” feet. Not only did many Madison girls attend state, they competed at their very best, and it showed in the results. Many finished in fourth, third, and even second.

As this season gets closer the athletes are starting to exercise, hoping to make this season even better than the last. One threat that the girls face is Rigby. Last year Madison beat Rigby at districts by one point. “Rigby girls are good, they have high jumpers, fast runners, and good throwers,” said Barrus. As head coach, Barrus pushes his athletes to their best. He wants the best for them and for each of them to improve. The team is hoping to break even more school records this year, and to be faster, and to do even better.

Barrus loves coaching track, “Track is a great sport because it tests the limits of every athlete,” said Barrus, “It’s really a competition with yourself.” Barrus likes to train the track team more like a college sport and not just a high school sport. With other coaches and volunteers, there ends up being about eight to ten adults to help push them to be their best.  

Nealey is one of the team’s biggest assets: she participates in long jump, triple jump, 100 meter and 4×1. She’s only a junior and as a sophomore she was the only Madison student to take home a win from state. She has many offers from colleges around the country. She is a very talented athlete but she also works hard to accomplish what she does. The track team is supposed to run almost everyday, and along with that have a good diet. There is no strict or required diet, but she keeps a good diet to stay ready for the track season. She also follows the training from her coaches to become her best.

Returning from last year is Morgan Hurst she participates in pole vaulting, 400 meters and 100 meters, but her best event is pole vaulting. Her average is 9’6”, but last May she improved by hitting 10’. Hurst loves track she loves that she has something that she is good at, but it also worries her that there is so many small details that if you do one wrong thing it can mess your whole vault. She plans to break the school record this year or the next. She plans to train hard and work toward her goal, but that’s not all that’s going to get her there. Morgan said, “Dedication and practice will play a big part, but also my attitude toward the work and time that it will take. Breaking the school record isn’t really necessarily a big deal to anyone else but for me. It would mean that I set a goal, and was able to put in the work to accomplish it.” She really thinks Barrus pushes them to the best that they can be and coaches the team just the right amount, “He knows what training we need, when we need it and how much of it,” Morgan said. Barrus definitely thinks she has the potential to break the record this year and jump 12 feet.

With hard work and determination, the girl’s track team will have a great season. The athletes are dedicated and the coach is preparing them now. The Madison girls hope to make this season count. Their first meet is coming up on March 28, 9 at Jerome