How optimistic are you going into sectionals?
“As a thrower for the team, I can confidently say that both Nick Nassar and Tim Dan will qualify for State because they have surpassed the State marks for their respective events (shot and discus for Dan, discus for Nassar) over the past couple of meets. They also put in a lot of work when it comes to these events, especially when it comes to time commitment. Nick most Saturdays goes out to the discus ring to practice his technique and power, and Tim makes sure to get the most out of every practice.”
-Sohil Purohit
How do you feel about the team going into the State season?
“I feel very optimistic with where we stand going into the postseason. Coming into conference and sectionals I believe that we have prepared ourselves properly and are in a very good position to make some big leaps over these next two weeks in individual as well as relay events. I believe that with the work that AJ is doing, he is giving himself a great shot at going to State in the triple jump, as well as our 4×200 team, which at the moment consists of Alex Richards, George Thomas, David Carrillo, and Jack Burger. Our 4×400 currently consisting of George Thomas, Jack Burger, Ryan Knight, and I.”
-Tyler Bernstein
What teams will make it to State?
“I think that both throwers (Dan and Nassar) will make it for Shot or discus, AJ Udechukwu for triple jump, Dylan Bleck for one of the hurdle events, and one of the relay teams (probably the 4×400 team). I would say these groups because people on these teams/events have contributed the most points to many of the teams’ invites and quads.”
-Sohil Purohit
Are there any routines you have gone through before an event?
“I take a nap on the bus before every meet to clear my mind. I always make sure to get a good stretch and some practice jumps in before I compete. The biggest routine I have is definitely rocking back and forth before I run for my jump and taking three deep breaths.”
-AJ Udechukwu
How does your coach help you prepare for big meets like sectionals?
“At such a late point in the season, the best thing an athlete can do is recover and stay mentally focused. Our coaches help us prepare for sectionals by implementing more recovery and technique days. As throwers, we start the week off with a lot of volume, but we taper off as we get closer and closer to the meet; this helps recover our central nervous system for the day of the meet so that we are ready to maximize our output. Leading up to sectionals, we are not making major changes, we are just trying to limit as many negative variables as possible.”
-Tim Dan
What have your practices looked like/ how have they changed leading up to sectionals?
“Practices have been focused on technique and intense speed for most of the season, but as sectionals approach, we lean into the technique aspect more and decrease our workout intensity to make sure we are able to run our fastest at sectionals.”
–Ryan Knight
“With sectionals coming up, we have been prioritizing technique, explosiveness, and new 4×200 handoffs to assure quicker times and more fluid transitions of the baton. Along with the technique practices, we have continued our workouts, an example of which is the 3×200 sprints. These help us stay conditioned, and makes us even faster for sectionals.”
-David Carrillo
Who’s someone on the team that’s stepped up recently?
“Adrian Safrov really stepped up this year and made a big impact on the team. His leadership qualities really shined through a lot this year. I was very impressed with how he handled his adversity too. When he had a bad jump, he battled throughout like it never happened and would jump much farther the next time. This guy is a future captain and leader on the team.”
-Avi Srivastava
Do you have nerves on a meet day, and if so, how do you handle them?
“I was pretty nervous during my first meet because it was senior night, and I was still learning to throw shot and disc. I was worried about not throwing very far, but I told myself that since it was my first year throwing, I would go out there and give it my best effort and learn from my attempts.”
–Walter Belenkiy
“I always get nervous before the meets; however, throughout the day, I really don’t feel it. When I get up to my event, it’s definitely a lot to take in. It’s less about thinking of it all day like some others, and more about the crucial moments.”
-Kaden Whiteside
