Track team competes at Gary Bugg Invitational
In the afternoon of Mar. 19, the outdoor track team took on their first meet of the season. Titled the “Gary Bugg Coed Classic”, ten local teams traveled to HHS to compete. Named for Gary Bugg, former cross country and track coach, this meet was unique in that it featured co-ed relays. In addition to the normal relays, there was a coed 4×100, throwers 4x100m, 4×200, 4×400 and 4x800m relay, as well as a coed sprint and distance medley relay.
Freshman Sydney Shaver participated in the coed 4x400m relay, the 100m dash, and the long jump. The relay team, also consisting of sophomore Jacob Seefried, senior Isaiah King, and senior Carissa Roberts, placed second overall. Shaver also placed seventh in the 100m and fourth in the long jump.
“My long jump was a little over 14 feet. Overall, I’m pretty satisfied, but I still hope to improve in the next meets. I really want to try to get 15 feet this year for long jump,” Shaver said.
For the rest of the season, Shaver doesn’t just hope to beat her best times, but she also make connections with her teammates.
“[My goals are to] set some personal records, in both jumping and running, and just meeting people and getting to work with [them],” Shaver said.
Shaver is a freshman, so not only was this meet the first meet of the 2018 season, but it was her first high school track meet, ever.
“I was really nervous before going into the meet,” Shaver said, “I just really wanted to have a good start to the track season.”
Though Shaver was nervous, the fact that the meet was at home and low-pressure helped with the nerves.
“It seemed like a really calming, not very uptight meet, so it really helped with the nerves,” Shaver said.
Harrisonburg won the meet, with a total score of 119 points. Turner Ashby followed, tallying 94 points. In third place was Fort Defiance, with 90 points.
The track team is gearing up for their next meet Wednesday, Apr. 4. They will be competing in the District Mini at Waynesboro High School.
