There’s No Rest for Champions: A look into online practices for the High School’s Track Team

Maggie Allen|May 8, 2020

Following a Division III State Championship in the 2019-2020 winter season, the Hopkinton Girls track team was hopeful that the spring season would bring them even more success.

 

“I can’t remember a time where our team was this strong or has had this much depth,” senior captain Delaney Mick said.

 

This winter, the girls took the division by storm. Winning the TVL, State Relays, and their State division title.

 

Additionally, athletes like Schuyler Gooley continued to shatter school records and individually qualify for multiple events at nationals.

 

“We were devastated when we found out that our spring season was canceled and that we won’t be able to compete for another title,”  Mick added.

 

The four senior captains lost one last season with their team that was bound to be great.

 

“When we found out, we had a track zoom just minutes after. I was crying the whole time. I think all of the seniors were,” senior captain Caroline Estella said. “Our team is made up of such a special group of people, and we don’t want to lose that.”

 

“Immediately after the cancellation, Coach Cann texted us and asked if we wanted to continue our practices online with the team,”  senior distance captain Schuyler Gooley said.

 

“We were in unanimous agreement that we should continue on with the practices even if we (the seniors) won’t compete for HHS ever again,” Mick said.

 

The coaches and captains run a one hour practice three days a week and have virtual spaghetti dinners every weekend.

Pictured is the team after a fun ‘zoomba’ class. They hope to continue to have fun workouts.

 

“This week’s spagger was my favorite,” said senior track star Angie Grabmeir.

 

“We all made tacos and churros and wore sombreros. We ate dinner all together and just talked,” she added.

 

On Fridays, the team hosts fun workouts on zoom such as ‘zoomba’, yoga, and kickboxing.

 

Boys Head Coach Brian Prescott decided to create a ‘track combine’ for the team to compete in at the end of the year.

 

“The combine gives us some healthy competition that we all miss,” Mick said.

 

“This team is a family, even through this terrible time, we will still find a way to have fun together,” Gooley said.