By Curtis Dunlap

An Avila Track Team?

           

             There has been talk of a track program here at Avila. Many questions have been asked by students, some of the more relevant about track are: will we be able to compete? Where will we train? How many people can go? Who will the coaches be? Will we actually go anywhere? Can we participate in the conference meet? These questions were asked by prospective runners a few weeks ago at a meeting with Gary Gallup. Who said “I am all for having a track program, anything you guys want to do I am going to back you up on. We just have to get the ball rolling.” Ultimately we cannot declare track a sport this year but hopefully by next year there will be enough people interested and willing that we can declare it a sport.

the cross country team (distance/mid-distance track runners)
pose after the conference meet

            The questions asked by people actually wanting to run were answered at the meeting. Like where will we train? There are two locations we can use that are close to campus; one is down 123rd off state line. There is a junior high track that the cross country team has used to train. The second track would be north down state line at a high school. There is another option as well, a school wants to partner up with Avila and make a theatre and if that happens we could potentially acquire land for a track. One of the options up in the air right now. as of now, the head coach would probably be coach Dave Denny of the cross country team. He would train the distance and mid-distance runners. Other coaches would need to volunteer or help out in other areas like sprinters and hurdlers.

            We will actually be able to participate in meets but not the conference meet this year because track is not a sport yet and runners would have to enter unattached. If however someone qualifies nationally then they could go to nationals. How many people train is just about how many will go. If people take it seriously then they will go. If people joke around and goof off then it could destroy what progress we have at declaring track a sport and moving on to field in the future. For those who do take it seriously, yes you will go places. We would not be able to go to all of the meets because of the lack of a budget but Gary said he would do everything he could to make it happen for us.

            If we go to a few meets this year people will see that it is actually happening and not just a rumor, those people who want to run will come out and hopefully run this year. Then there is always the next year. If we declare track a sport we will get many more recruits and young runners. We have lost a great number of potential runners to other schools that have track and field. A list was compiled last year of all the students who wanted to run/would support a track team here at Avila. The numbers were impressive and there was promise. This year something is being done and if runners start training now, we could be a force to be reckoned with. Avila has great potential for a track team; it just takes one to make something happen. One person can make the difference.