As the track season comes to a close the boys and girls outdoor team leave an impressing mark in the new league with a 6-1 record for the boys and 4-3 record for the girls. From the beginning to the end of the season they were able to improve on their abilities to be competitive and find levels of competitiveness within themselves.
Malden High english teacher and track coach David Londino believes that the outdoor team had an impressive season. Londino states that “[they] came into the new league not really knowing what to expect but were able to prove that [they] are able to be competitive and win against much stronger teams.” One thing Londino believes the team took away from this season was being able to give good competition even against stronger teams and make a name for themselves amongst the new league. Londino really thinks the boys and girls have both taken away “the ability to prove that [they] are a good team no matter what stage [they] are on.”
Londino believes that a lot of the goals that they had at the beginning of the season were met, which includes to hold a strong record and become more competitive and a unit. As a team they accomplish that the girls holding a record of 4-3 and the boys with a 6-1 record. Londino also states that individual goals like personal records and being able to make it to the NEC meet and or States have been reached by a number of athletes on the team. The coach is very proud of the amount of leadership displayed between the returnees and the amount of young talent that were able to perform this year. He admits that “[they] have lots of talented freshman girls as well as freshmen boys who have been able to make an impact on the varsity team. Londino is also proud of the amount of effort everyone has put into this season. He believes that this season will be able to shape next year’s season in allowing new runners to be more confident like next year’s returners since they were able to come into a new league not knowing what to expect but be able to dominate the league.
Athletes on the team include seniors Brian Tran, Rachel Loreus, Adela Dzaferagic, and junior Eric Toh. Like Londino they were all happy on how they ended the season and are are also proud on how they performed individually and as a unit. Toh believes that the team was able to “make a name for themselves in the new league, and show that [they] can bring competition to meets and dominate meets as well”. In addition, Toh adds that as their first year in a new league a major key that they took away from this season is to work harder than before in order to be successful. Even though they were able to dominate the GBL more easily, they had to work much harder in this new league because they would be facing stronger teams. Loreus believes that something the team was able to take away this year is the ability to work together and work better and get great scores as a team. She also thinks the team did really good in the new league, stating that she is “really proud of their record”. Loreus admitted that “she didn’t think [they] were going to get that far but going into a new league and getting a record like that is very impressive”
Tran mentioned that one of his proudest moments on the team is how everyone was able to contribute something good to the team. Tran is also proud of when they win four by four relays because of the amount of joy it brings to the team. What Toh was proud of was his “ability to be able to contribute to the team and win”. Toh also has had many individual accomplishments achieved which include beating his personal record by a few seconds. For both Tan and Toh agreed that their meet against Revere was one of their best simply because how the four by four relays went down and their performance.
Both Tran and Toh think this season will shape next year’s upcoming season in a positive way. Returning runners will be able to instill good habits in the newcomers such as good work ethic and competitiveness. Next years returnees will have the job of setting a good example for the new runners and influencing the future of the program in positive ways. Dzaferagic proudest moments on the team as a senior would being able to see the underclassmen on the team show great levels of competitiveness and grow which to her is “a really nice thing to see.” She’s very proud of how competitive the team is no matter how good the other is.
All in all the outdoor track team has had a very successful spring season, growing from start to finish. They were able to figure out what part each member played individually and found their place on the team allowing all the other pieces to fall into place.
