San Benito High School track teams ready themselves for a run at
CCS title
Track is in the air as San Benito High School prepares for its
newest season of running, jumping and throwing.
In just few weeks coaches and returning athletes will focus on
the essential first hurdle of every season
– conditioning. The first week of track and field is infamous
for its only-the-strong-survive conditioning regimen.
San Benito High School track teams ready themselves for a run at CCS title
Track is in the air as San Benito High School prepares for its newest season of running, jumping and throwing.
In just few weeks coaches and returning athletes will focus on the essential first hurdle of every season – conditioning. The first week of track and field is infamous for its only-the-strong-survive conditioning regimen.
The new season brings coaching changes and a new, more-focused vision, one that will be vying for a Central Coast Section title for both the boy’s and girl’s teams.
Head girl’s coach and thrower coach Jen Logue resigned in September to spend more time with her four young daughters. Replacing her has not been an easy task, and at this point the throwing coach position remains open. One prospect is San Benito High’s wrestling coach Matt Olejnik. Olejnik is trying to work through potential schedule conflicts with his own children’s activities as well as the wrestling schedule.
“My son is playing baseball, and I don’t know when his games will be, plus I do have wrestling to give my time to. Right now we are just trying to work out the logistics,” Olejnik said. “For the past 18 years I have been there for everybody else’s kids, and now it’s time for me to be there for my own. There are only so many hours in a day.”
Coaching hurdles this year is Melissa McGrath, a first-year English teacher.
Head coach Iran White is confidant in his staff and is turning his attention toward building a dynasty.
“My goal is to have our team be CCS champs that will take time, maybe three to five years. But right now we are setting up the coaching so at every level of competition we have a coach who’s turning out champions. I feel our new people can step up to that level and help good athletes become great and average athletes to become good,” White said.
The team graduated about 15 seniors, including sprinters Jesse Rice and Chad Tungate, discus throwers Jesse Grace, Crystina Osbourne and Johni Keisweter, high jumper Ian Whiteley, and pole-vaulter Matt Wynne – all of whom were key components of the girl’s and boy’s teams.
But White is not worried about numbers.
“Last year we had about 160 athletes on the team. That is the most the school has ever seen. We did a lot of recruiting last year, and I expect the same turnout this season because track is a fun sport and anyone and everyone is encouraged to come out.”
The San Benito track team is known for the number of athletes. While smaller schools may have talent, the Balers have a bigger pool of talent from which to recruit.
Francisco Faria is expected to turn in solid performances in the high jump, while Tod Merrigan will continue his rampage on the pole vault. Frankie De Araujo will be top thrower for the boys, while Kyle Bambrick runs long distance for the Balers. Amanda Boyd will handle events from the 2 mile to the 400 meter race for the girls, while Jackie Perrien continues to throw shot-put for the girls.
