Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 2017, Page 140

Description:	PRACTICE MAKESJI J I Z^^T ~^e §rs trac^ team Practices everyday throughout the spring season.The sun beats down on the athletes as they lineup on their blocks. The girls glance at each other,trying to ignore the uncomfortable heat, as theircoach begins to count down. 3... 2... 1... GO!They are off, sprinting around the track, racingtowards the finish line.This is a normal activity for the girls trackand field team. Throughout the spring, theathletes practice every day after school. They areusually long, intense, and require a lot of hardwork from the runners. The team members beginpractices by rolling out their muscles on foamrollers, then they split off into specific groups.Junior Adenine Kao is a sprinter on theteam who runs the 100, 200, 4x1, and 4x4. Sheexplained that the sprinters begin each practiceby skipping, marching for good running form,and accelerating as part of practice. Thesestretches are vital to the practices because theyhelp prevent injuries and warm the athletes upbefore their workout.The actual workouts are intense anddifficult. The sprinters either take a long jog orfocus on shorter, faster runs during their time.The shorter drills require a multitude of energyand are incredibly strenuous to complete, whilelong runs are tough because the athlete musthave ample endurance and determination inorder to complete the run. Junior SennaHendricks feels that long runs are the tougher ofthe two. Long runs are harder because,although its long distance, you still need tosprint, she said.The sprinters also work on the technicalside of track during practice. The athletes eitherwork on their handoffs during relays or how toline up on the blocks. We focus on perfectinghandoffs in order to get the relays to state, Kaosaid. The block work is also incrediblyimportant. According to Hendricks, Its allabout the arm split. Arm splits are the way thatthe runners arms move while running. It helpspush you forward, and it can be the make orbreak of a race, she said.As practice ends, the girls track and fieldteam slowly parades back into the locker room,exhausted from the long afternoon. Although it isnot easy, the girls passion for running andrelationships among the team make track arewarding experience. Kao said that even thoughthe sprinters did not know each other well beforethe season, now we are all really good friends.The team bond only improved the girlsperformance and attitudes and helped makepractices fun and productive throughout theseason.- SARAH BROWNLUQz<uuzo .£=> s?-Jc£ <OQ ZofNThree Russian track and field athletes have beendisqualified from the 2017 Olympics after new testsrevealed that they were doping. The runners havebeen stripped of their titles and face a suspensionfrom competing in future events. This comes afterRussia has been stripped of 26 medals, mosdy intrack and field, after many athletes tested positivefor steroid use.PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONSI think it was justified becausean athlete should win because oftheir ability, not drug use. TheOlympic Committee shouldcontinue to have harsh steroidtests and persecute offenderseven after the competition takesplace.JUNIOR MIATRUEBLOODThey deserved to be stripped oftheir medals and prosecuted.[The Olympic committee]should test for drugs andsteroids even after thecompetition happened.SOPHOMOREKIRSTEN DECKARD1401 Athletics IMARY KEITANY AND DANIEL WANJIRU WIN THE LONDON MARATHON RACES 4/23 I PEGGY WHITSON BREAKS
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/9519
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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