By: Carter Caldwell with input from Jaimie Franz

Track season is racing toward us, and the first meet is on March 28.  The team has been officially practicing since March 6, but the team has been lifting and conditioning since the end of winter break, on January 4.  Last season, the Eagles sent senior high jumper Melissa Wahl to the State meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at the Ohio State University.  Wahl placed fifteenth with a height of 5’2’’.  This year the team welcomed Coach Wilson, who after coaching in Xenia decided to come to Bellbrook, despite having told the team he had been worried they would be “stuck-up.”  Coach Wilson specializes in sprints, and a sophomore on the team said he has expressed the belief that the team can make many improvements.  His diversification of the workouts have reportedly helped the team grow.  Another new addition to the coaching staff is Coach Reagan, who coaches the pole vaulters.  Reagan vaulted through high school and at Kent State University, and according to one athlete his coaching has led to much progress being made on the team.

The team’s first home meet, the Golden Eagle Invitational, will take place on April 13 at the stadium.  It will be senior night.  As mentioned, the team has been working at it for quite some time, and their diligence shows through in their performance.  To further motivate the team, Coach O’Dell uses a pyramid made up of painted cinder blocks, which are earned by accomplishing whatever is on the block.  Said a second-year member of the team: “The pyramid is a goal for the team and it builds people’s integrity to get as many blocks stacked as possible.” They discussed at great lengths the importance of encouraging one other, to push one other to the breaking point of physical endurance. Junior Sierra Hessinger causally joked that she was going to “die” after practice because she put in 100% to each drill, so she could perform better.

While it is still too early to determine how the Eagles will perform this season, if last year’s results are any indicator, Coaches Reagan and Wilson are looking to have a respectable start to their season.  Last year the girls’ team placed first in their first six meets and second in the next two (including SWBL), and the boys placed no lower than fifth in all but one of their meets, and managed a third place finish at the league meet.  

Aside from track, this year will also be Bellbrook’s first season with both men’s and women’s lacrosse teams.  In the past lacrosse players joined local club teams.  Bellbrook baseball’s season last year ended with a loss to Badin, but the team has been hard at work since the day after the game, and softball will start their season on March 25 at Southeastern High School.