The Academy of the a Holy Names track team has started and they are better than ever! All the girls and coaches are looking forward to seeing the progress and success that the track team of 2015 will bring this season. Annemarie Houston, senior, exclaims, “We’re all really excited for the season this year. For the girls that have run track before, we’re excited to get new personal records and get more points for our team, and I know that all of the new girls are excited to set new goals for themselves.” She also commented on the new changes to the team this year. “A new thing about this season are our new coaches. While it was an adjustment, Coach Ray and Coach Lawrence have proven to be extremely helpful and dedicated coaches.”

Last Saturday the track team had the opportunity to train with professional hurdler Damu Cherry-Mitchell in Orlando, at Mount Verde Academy. She was a professional hurdler and retired in 2010 after getting 4th place at the Beijing Olympics. Her husband, Dennis Mitchell , attended the session. He also received a Gold medal in the 1988 Olympics. At the training, the track girls did hurdle drills and learned different techniques to help with the hurdles and their overall run. At the very end of the session, everyone had improved tremendously on their form. Jazmyne McCloud, senior (and niece of the above-mentioned track stars), shared with us, “Obviously we can’t learn everything we needed to know in one session but it was a great way to start the season and also a good prep for the track meet we just ran on Tuesday against King and Hillsborough.” The first track meet against King and Hillsborough ended with the team earning 88 points. Congratulations to the AHN track team for doing so well at their first official meet with all the events.