By: Taylor Burton | Staff Writer
After 20 years of the Dr. Jack M. Toms Track fostering NCAA winners, hosting countless meets and nurturing many athletes’ love for competing, the track has undergone major renovations.
On average, tracks need to be resurfaced every eight to 15 years, making these renovations highly anticipated. Along with the resurfacing, an extra 10 meters has also been added, which prevents the hindrance that weather conditions often create for runners.
Isaiah Davis, a junior member of the track and field team, has earned All-Region, All-State and All-ODAC honors. A new repaved track is something all of the athletes have been seeking, and the benefits are clear to Davis: “It’s vibrant, clean and beneficial,” he said.
Coach Isaiah Brothers believes that the track will definitely make a huge improvement with his athletes. He described it as, “It’s like getting a new outfit for the first day of school, when you know it looks good it makes you feel good.”
He is beyond excited to see what this upcoming season has to offer. “I’m most excited to see how the kids take advantage of this new surface allowing them to compete and train even harder” he said.
“I think it will definitely make me run better,” said junior Hannah Schmincke, a member of the 4×100 relay and the 100-meter dash.
While performance was a main factor in the renovation, the makeover it received has not gone unnoticed. “I like how bright the numbers and lanes are now, because before they were faded,” said Schmincke.
Despite these minor issues, this new track has given the athletes a fresh environment to succeed, giving a whole new excitement for practice and this upcoming season. The Hornets are pumped to see what this new track has to offer.
