The Aliso Niguel Boys Track season is in full swing and is looking like its set to be a challenging but rewarding one. They kicked off their season at Santa Margarita Catholic High on Feb. 21 and have over thirteen meets this season to look forward to.
Every year, over 200 to 300 kids try out, and about 150 to 220 students make it to the team, depending on the amount of athletes Coach Werner and Coach Lusar feel is necessary for a successful season.
There are over sixteen events athletes can try out for, including sprints, jumps, distance running, pole vault, discus, shot put and high jump.
Coach Lusar shares the success of the boys relay team last year and how they “ran top 10 time marks overall and were invited to go to the Nike Outdoor Nationals event.”
At the event all of the relay and distance relay runners were given the prestigious title of All Americans which is a title given to the top athletes in collegiate athletics and can only be earned if given by governing bodies like the NCAA. This title symbolizes exceptional skill and various showcases of talent in specific events.
Their second meet took place here at Aliso and was against Capo Valley High School. Aliso scored first overall for several events all throughout the day. The team earned first place for the 100 meter dash, 800 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 1600 meter dash, high jump, long jump, pole vault and the 4×100 and 4×400 relay races.
At the root of the team’s success is the support of their dedicated and powerful coaches.
Coach Lusar shares how “the individual success and team success as a whole is rooted in first finding out where our athletes can be successful.”
Coach Werner shares how “if a student tries out for sprinting but we see that they are better suited for jumping, for example, we always put them in the event we see them succeeding in in the future.”
This mindset has paid off as the Aliso Niguel Girls and Boys track team are in the highest league in the nation and are ranked Division 1 overall. Both coaches shared how “track is a difficult sport and ensuring our athletes are prepared and at their physical peak is necessary but that can only be achieved by also having fun.”
The boys team practices with the girls team all week Monday through Friday during sixth period. The captains this season have yet to be decided but when they are, their job is to ensure that the team is progressing at a steady pace and helping the team be in the best shape they can be.
Coach Lusar shares a final remark about how she “wishes the best for all of the athletes this season and is always ready to support them both on and off the track.”
As this season progresses, the track team has shown us that with continued practice and effort, they can achieve great things.
