The Clarke Central High School track and field team holds a BBQ on April 4 after a track and field practice beside the Billy Henderson Stadium track. According to CCHS sophomore Tyreon Millsap, events such as the BBQ held after practice are an effort by CCHS head track and field coach Justin Jones to cultivate a track and field family. “Coach Jones wants greatness for the team and he puts a lot of time and dedication into track and field,” Millsap said. Photo by Colin Frick
The Clarke Central High School track and field team has grown in size since coach Justin Jones became the head track and field coach.
Ever since Justin Jones became the Clarke Central High School head track and field coach at the start of the 2018 season, the team has seen changes. One of the most notable changes has been an increase in the size of the team.
“I think more people have come out because they’ve advertised it more, started conditioning earlier,” CCHS senior and varsity shot put thrower Flora Lechtreck said. “Coach Jones is a football coach, so he’s got a lot of the boys (to come run).”
Jones is not the only track and field coach who spent time recruiting prior to the beginning of the season. English department teacher Lisa Hill and science department teacher Stacey Scott spent time before the start of the track and field season recruiting athletes, as well.
“Coach Hill and I both coach volleyball and we had a very tenacious, competitive group of freshmen this past year,” Scott said. “We also had a competitive volleyball season, so we encourage our volleyball athletes to come out for track or to do something.”
Lechtrek believes that the energy of the team has changed in addition to its size.
“This year I think coach Jones has tried to improve (team spirit). We did a team bonding run to get smoothies down at by Smoothie King,” Lechtrek said. “I think there’s a lot of new friendships and bonding, and people say hi to each other in the hallway, which is good.”
Scott believes that the team’s culture of mutual respect has contributed to its morale.
“The environment out here for track and field is more or less like a family,” Scott said. “Coach Jones is a father figure for a great deal of the athletes out here. (For) the female and the male athletes, he doesn’t talk to them like they’re children, he talks to them like they are young adults.”
CCHS sophomore Tyreon Millsap believes that the team is headed in the right direction with Jones’ guidance.
“The longer he’s been around the more athletes that’s been getting better at track and field,” Millsap said. “With him the only way is up for us. He’s not going to settle for anything less than what he knows we can do.”
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