Over summer break, Bear River’s track was renovated and improved into an all-weather track. This replaced the dirt track which caused many issues for various sports during the rainy season.
According to Athletics Director Scott Savoie, the track was upgraded to become usable in rain or shine, as well as having permanent running pits, shot-putting pits, and pole-vaulting runways installed.
Senior Matt Rodriguez, a member of the Track team, gave his opinion on the track’s improvements.
“I think it’s great, honestly, it’s been so long since we had a new track,” he said. “I think it’s something we really need. … Last year, or both years, the rain just kind of ruined it and it affected practice, but this is an all-weather track, so we’ll be able to push through, and that will definitely help us in competition once the season rolls around.”
Most students are happy with the new track, and think that everything it used to lack was added. Megan McDaniel, a freshman on the Cross Country team, said that she agreed with this sentiment.
“They kind of have everything,” she said. “They have all the right lines and starting points for people that are doing relays, and all the different things, so there’s not really anything I would add. I’m just glad that it’s not the dirt and bad track it was before.”
Sophomore Elaina Wargala also agreed with this statement.
“It’s not nice to run on dirt, you know?” she said. “It’s nice to feel like an actual school with an actual track, instead of just a dirt road in a field. If it was raining, then, during Track practice, we couldn’t really run on it, so it had a lot of difficulties last year. I think it changes everything for Track season this year, like how we excel.”
Students have been pleased with how the track is benefiting their sport after its upgrade. Rodriguez had this to say about the changes.
“It actually affects us a lot, because, for me in pole vaulting, we had to roll these runways out, and it would be pieces of runway, but now it’s permanent runway,” he said. “It’s a lot nicer, and dirt doesn’t get on it as easily. It just wasn’t good, and it wasn’t as grippy as a normal track would be. And then high jump, you’d have to lay down mats for that, and it’s just so much more efficient this way. It’s so much less work for us to do; it’s just a lot easier.”
Overall, students were very happy about the upgrades and permanent features of the track. McDaniel was asked about her final thoughts on the matter.
“My sister, she’s a big part of my life, and she does Track, … she’s really excited that we got a new track, and that has kind of affected me in a positive way, because she’s happier,” she said. “… It’s actually really fun.”
