Team adjusts to A league

Last year, the boys’ and girls’ track teams enjoyed strings of victories against opposing schools in the West Valley League. This year, the track teams have been moved up to a higher degree of competition in the De Anza League.

So far, moving up has been nothing but trials and tribulations. The team lost both its meets against Mountain View and Milpitas by scores of 92-35 and 86-46 respectively for the boys, 78-42 and 73-53 respectively for the girls.

“I’m disappointed that we lost because, obviously, I want to win, but I thought everyone ran well and was doing their best,” head coach Archie Ljepava said.

Ljepava believes they have been losing because of the size of the other teams.

“The league schools are bigger, so they overwhelm us with their population,” Ljepava said. “[Their teams] have twice the number of people that we have.”

In addition, many key players of the team are out because of injuries, including senior jumper Ailene Nguyen, who has a strain of her lower calf, junior sprinter Melodie Bellegarda, who has strained lower leg muscles resulting from overwork and senior jumper Michelle Cummins, who has a lower back injury.

However, Ljepava looks forward to training the team, which consists of many underclassmen.
“We have a young team and we’re trying to develop everyone properly so we can keep them around for the next three years,” Ljepava said.

Due to the challenges that come with competing at a higher level, the track team practices have increased in difficulty.

Sprint coach Michael Xiatry and Ljepava have conducted weight room workouts for the team in the past, but have recently handed over the responsibility to a new coach.

Coach Danielle Burks, a recent addition to the ring of track team coaches, has been in charge of conducting weight room workouts. Junior sprinter Olivia Whiting has noticed that the weight room workouts have a more professional tone to them.

“She plans different workouts involving lifting weights, pushups and burpies, and customizes a workout for us every day,” Whiting said.

Burks’ customized workouts are designed to fully prepare the track team for upcoming meets.
“Mondays are balance and core work, Tuesdays are full-body conditioning, Wednesdays are muscle loosening in prepare for meets on Thursdays, and Fridays are for more full body conditioning,” Whiting said.

After an intense session in the weight room, the team circles up and does ab workouts and stretches. Afterwards, the team discusses the positives of the day and what the team can improve on in the future.

Due to printing deadlines, the meet on April 5 against Lynbrook could not be covered in this issue.