The question that every senior track athlete is asking, will we even have a senior season? Right now, their season has been put on pause but there is hope that by early May they can return to competition and make something out of an abbreviated season. Going into this year, no one thought the COVID-19 outbreak would bring us to this point, but it has and I don't think it crossed these athletes' minds that their senior year could be cut short. All they can do is hope, believe, and train on.
With that being said, we thought this would be a great time to highlight some memories from senior athletes. We took to our Instagram page and asked senior athletes to tell us some memories and or stories from their HS career. Here's what they had to say.
Mollie Gamble (Oak Hill High School)
Gamble's favorite memory was getting the opportunity to compete with such great people and athletes and being a part of a second family with all my teammates. Gamle said that during XC her team was super close and they were always there. She also stated that during her junior and senior years her XC team was extremely close. Gamble considers her team sisters and that each one of them has a unique spirit on and off the course.
Hunter Christy (Fishers High School)
Hunter's favorite memory was when his team won the 4x8 state title in 2019, with a time of 7:47. Last year, Christy entered the season with an 800 PR of 2:13 and when everything was said and done he walked away with a PR of 1:58 at the end of his junior year. Christy states that Fishers was slept on during the 2019 season because they never ran their top lineup, so no one knew their full potential. He recalls that there were tears of joy and they couldn't believe that they were now state champions.
Vishal Turna (Penn High School)
Turna vividly remembers last year's sectional meet at Penn High School. Turna was entered in the shot put, and the main competition was between him, a junior, and three seniors. Shotput was the last event going on by the time prelims were over. He was leading the competition by over a foot and Turna said he was feeling good by the last throw. The ring was surrounded by parents, his teammates, and spectators. Turna PR'd by 2 feet on his last throw and there's nothing better than celebrating with his time. Turna ultimately won and helped lead his team to a sectional title.
Brooke Dixon (Brownsburg High School)
Brooke Dixon said that her favorite memory was getting to run at the Indiana All-Star Meet for cross country. She said that what made that experience so special was getting to compete with the same team with several teammates/friends from elementary and middle school. They all ran together from 4th through 8th grade at St.Malachy in Brownsburg. They all ended up at different high schools and have competed against each other for the last 4 years. As seniors, they were all selected to represent Indiana in the All-Star Race. Dixon said that it was so much fun to run together again one last time. She made it clear that she loves these girls and their relationship was rekindled through this experience. Pictured below is them from elementary, middle, and high school.
Abby Carter (Fishers High School) and Lee Ellyson (Southport High School)
Carter mentioned that one of her favorite memories was being a part of the "Tiger Pack" at Fishers, having a second family (the team), and all working towards one goal: podium. She also recalls the 2016 race at Flashrock, but at the end of that race, it got the nickname "Splashrock" because the course was beyond muddy and the course was a total slip'n slide. She said the best part about the course was sliding down the big hill. Lee Elyson also recalls this race, mentioning that the start line was ankle-deep in running water.
Katie Nix (Bishop Dwenger High School)
Nix had one of the more unique stories I heard. She said one of her favorite memories from high school would be when her team carried a Christmas tree a mile and a half back to BD. She stated, "for some reason, our team likes to have a competition with the boy's team to see who can bring back weirder stuff". Things they've brought back include a shopping cart, a bike, lots of hubcaps, the Christmas tree, and a bunch of little things. So how did they exactly find this Christmas tree? It was during winter conditioning for Bishop Dwenger, and on that particular day, it was snowing. They were running through the plex and someone had thrown out there old Christmas tree on the side of the road. They decided to pick it up and carry it all the way back to campus. When they got back, they tied it to the track fence with some caution tape and posted a picture on their team's Facebook page. The boys' team saw that post, and commented telling the girls team they had found it first and it was theirs but did not want to carry it all the way back. Later that day, a few of the boys on the team decided to steal the tree and take it back to the plex. Meanwhile, the girls had no idea where they had put it. The boys' team drew what Nix describes as a terrible map and gave it to them as a "hint". It took them a bit, but one of them figured out that it was hidden by a creek. They were able to spot it from the road while running. The boys' team had tied it to another tree, with the caution tape. They weren't quite sure how they were going to get the tree from the creek. It took them days to figure out a plan, but before they could try and capture it again, they noticed the tree was gone, but not the caution tape. The boys had said another team wanted the tree, and they were the ones who took it. After that, the tree never reappeared and is still a mystery to this day but Nix says it is one of her favorite memories.
Regan Overman (Decatur Central)
Regan
recalls the time his team was at the line having a pre-race talk and his coach came
up with two cups of water in his hands. A Michael Jackson classic was playing,
and his coach did the MJ kick and moonwalk and then proceeded to throw the
water in the air. Everyone had to laugh and applaud him. Regan told us that his
coach has meant so much to him over the last 2 years. He knows without Coach Brad Gillum, he would not have gotten the times that he has now without his great
knowledge in the world of running. Overman is so thankful to have him as coach
and has had many great experiences and memories with his team and coach.
The question that every senior track athlete is asking, will we even have a senior season? Right now, their season has been put on pause but there is hope that by early May they can return to competition and make something out of an abbreviated season. Going into this year, no one thought the COVID-19 outbreak would bring us to this point, but it has and I don't think it crossed these athletes' minds that their senior year could be cut short. All they can do is hope, believe, and train on.
With that being said, we thought this would be a great time to highlight some memories from senior athletes. We took to our Instagram page and asked senior athletes to tell us some memories and or stories from their HS career. Here's what they had to say.
