North Cedar athletes ready for track and field season

CLARENCE - While the snow is melting and spring is hopefully approaching, track and field is finally here.

This is a great thing for the athletes at North Cedar High School.

When most people think of track and field, a few words come to mind, like 'running”, 'shot put” and 'relays.” When North Cedar's athletes were asked, their answers were amazingly heartfelt. Words like 'joy, happiness, workout, determination, success and teamwork” were used.

At a small school like North Cedar, it's common to go to state in many sports or be noticed for the hard work and determination the athletics push for, and that's why the track and field program is constantly setting goals to set itself up for success.

The track and field athletes work year long to stay in shape. That workout can go anywhere from running three miles to doing a major ab workout or even lifting some weights. Also most track athletes aren't just in track, they are involved in other sports during the year, too.

Although the track program hasn't won a major title yet, North Cedar's boys' track and field program has made it to state the past 20 years except in 2009 and 2011. The girls' program has made it to state continuously for the past 10 years, qualifying in 45 events, 25 individual and 20 relays. Both boys and girls will definitely try to keep that tradition going.

The athletes don't look at track as just a sport, it's more like a hobby or a fun activity. The boys' and girls' programs already have started to practice and the girls' first meet is March 7 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. The compete the following day, also in the UNI-Dome.

'This season is unique because we graduated a great class last year and replaced it with equal talent in the freshman class,” girls' coach Kirk Kettelsen said. 'Any event with a 400 in it will be very solid. We also have gifted athletes in the high jump, shot put and hurdles. Our distance events could be a bright spot this season, as well.

'We have 17 letterwinners and nine state qualifiers returning. They are joined by 12 newcomers. Our first week of practice was tremendous and the team worked extremely hard.”

The teams will continue to push forward and plan to have a successful season with lots of support from the community and, as most track times train for, finalizing the season at the 'blue oval.”