Leaps and Bounds

The sun is shining in its magnificence, and the birds are clamoring with delight, which means that Track and Field team’s 2021 spring season is ready to commence. Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, officials canceled most of the previous season, and the pandemic continues to plague any public area. Consequently, the planning process for this season was extremely rigorous.

Head Coach Leticia Beverly share about the season: “With all the COVID policies that we have to follow, that makes it a lot difficult. We’ve always had a team that’s very close and family-oriented when it comes to each other, so keeping us separate but together has been challenging.” The student-athletes are ready to reach indescribable goals for the current season. So far, the team has participated in five meets, but the team has accomplished numerous triumphs. On February 24, the men’s team received the second-highest placement at the Wildcat Early Bird Opener, which happened respectfully at their home stadium. Although numerous runners improved in their craft since the start of the season, one singular athlete has gained greater recognition than most of the team.

On February 27, the team took part in the Archer Invitational at Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Allyria McBride (11), daughter of team coach Leticia Beverly, is one of the numerous team members welcomed to the competition. She participated in events such as the 300-meter race, which is her personal favorite event. But miraculously, she shocked all spectators as she endured the long jump event, in which she received the best placement for a female Wheeler athlete in the event. She reached the long-jump mark of 18-9. This astonishing score exceeds Jaelyn Rice’s previous 2013 record of 18-4, who also broke the record during her junior year of high school. To a citizen who is unfamiliar with track and field, these tremendous statistics might seem easily reachable. However, the talent of long jumping requires numerous hours of preparation; McBride discerns, “It looks like it’s easy and it’s really simple, but it’s actually really hard.”

In the long-jump field competition, athletes place themselves behind a runway of about forty meters. Once the event starts, the athlete needs to sprint this distance to reach a white line. This object allows the participant to use their lower body strength to extend into the air as they try to jump a length to the greatest of their abilities. The athlete dives into a landing area of rough, sandy material, and a referee measures how they perform in a straight line from the edge of the takeoff line to the competitor’s landing spot. New team member Harrison Stadler (12) says about the event, “You have to make sure that your takeoff leg doesn’t go over the board, but you still have enough speed and power to propel you forward.” Overall, if one wants to partake in a long-jump event, they must understand that certain techniques result in success.

While commenting on her accomplishment, Allyria McBride (11) says, “It wasn’t even on my prospect of things that I was trying to accomplish. I was just shocked.” For the rest of the season, Allyria plans to break the school for the 300-meter hurdle race and compete in the GHSA state championship. While mentioning the number of additional athletes hoped to contest during the state tournament, Coach Leticia Beverly says, “I want to take at least ten.” To see the team fight to achieve this goal, come out to a meet and support the Wildcats!