By Jade Edwards

Only a few weeks into the spring competition season for Bellbrook Track and Field, and the team is looking like a promising competitor for the surrounding opposition.  The captains this year are Cameron Brittain, senior; Kalli Kramer, senior; Clay Cavanaugh, senior; Kayla Paul, Junior; Lance Weston, senior; and Tyler Dreischarf, senior.

Nerves were ramped up about the team as a whole because there are a lot of changes and shortages within the team. This season, Coach Wilson and Coach Mike Baumer took on the responsibility as head coaches, and they handle that newly added responsibility well.  “They are committed to the team to see them do better,” said sophomore Jared Everidge. Another sophomore Sydney Fannin added, “They want to see us push, do the best we can do, and succeed.”  

Before the season even started, the team was expecting shortages, especially for the women. With only a little over 20 young women on the team, there is just enough to have one Varsity Women’s team with no JV,  but everyone has to play their part.  At first this was seen as a scary circumstance, until the Waynesville Invitational.  Bringing home some major hardware, the women’s track team was awarded a trophy for 2nd place and the boys were awarded a 3rd place trophy against 15 other teams at the Waynesville meet on Friday, April 5.  The result showed the girls just how much of a force they can be, even with so few numbers. As Everidge said, “Their dedication makes for a whole team.” Senior distance runner Amira Faulkner will tell you “It’s definitely challenging to have so few people. We’re pretty small, but that makes us closer as a team.”

Continuing down the path of victory, Senior Night on Thursday, April 11 was the first meet at home.  Showing all who came that this is our house, both the girls and the boys took 1st in the meet, a fantastic result against the top Oakwood and Fairborn teams.  “The whole meet was one to remember,” said Fannin. Many people, including sophomore Tyrone Haskins, will say that their favorite part of the night was “each senior sharing their most favorite and embarrassing moments.”  It is always an exciting night for the seniors as well as the underclassmen who have shared so many fun memories with them.

As a senior on the track team myself after only two years running, I really enjoyed the night and the team camaraderie. The track team is full of people who bond really well.  Faulkner’s younger sister sophomore Avarie Faulkner agrees saying, “Everybody on the team is so supportive and they are always cheering for their teammates.” It does not matter what gender you are, what you run, or what field event you do, as a part of the team, you can “create better bonds with all of them,” said Fannin, and this team is one “who believes in one another.”

Upcoming Meets

Little Miami: Thursday, April 25.  

The Fairmont Invitational: May 2-3.

All of the meets begin at 4:30pm for field events and 5:00pm for running events.  After that, championship season begins, starting with SWBL Championships on Thursday, May 9 continuing on to Saturday, May 11. Then the Southwest District Meet will be on Wednesday, May 15 and Friday, May 17.  If track and field members continue to progress to the next levels, they will perform at the Regional meet on May 22 and May 24 and hopefully the State meet on May 31 and June 1. Times for these meets to be determined at a later date.