Andover Track & Field will look to improve on strong finishes at last year’s NEPSTA (New England Prep School Track Association) Division I Championships. The girls claimed fourth place while the boys finished in ninth.
The team did not have a formal preseason, but members of the team trained individually to prepare for the season. Caroline Shipley ’16 said, “Over the break I tried to maintain the momentum from indoor track as best I could – ran some hills, sprints and lifted, but it was not quite the same without the team.”
Furthermore, many members of the team participated in winter track to sharpen up for the spring.
Head Coach Corbin Lang said, “I’m really excited about the upcoming season. Our girls are returning a very strong team and the work that we did over the winter will help us transition into the spring. Our boys are also looking strong. It’s very encouraging to see so much new talent. They always compete with the heart of a lion, so I can’t wait to see them compete like that again this year.”
The girls team looks strong for all aspects of the competition. Captain Charlie Jarvis ’15 said, “We have more than one really strong returning athlete in almost every event. Add this to the many newcomers we have this season, and our team has a ton of potential.”
Long-distance runners for the team found a lot of success during the winter season, and hope to continue their strong performances.
Captain Nick DiAdamo ’15 is optimistic about the boys team’s future despite losing many crucial Seniors. He said, “In terms of the future, we had a lot of young talent last year that will be moving up this year [and] becoming even stronger competitors, and we gained several Post-Graduates who appear to be filling some holes we’ve had the past few years.”
Derek Yau ’15 will look to make an impact after being sidelined for most of last year with a hamstring injury. He has worked hard for the past year in order to return. “I prepared for the season by lots of physical therapy and leg strengthening.”
Both teams will use the first meet against Andover High School on April 4 to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
