Jaqueline Hartman
This junior lady warrior, who runs both cross country and track, is becoming a leader on the girls track team. She has had a lot of experience with running in high school and hopes to use that to help boost her team this year.
“They bring experience to the table. Just having been to state, having done it before, having been to all indoor meets, outdoor meets, and conference, they bring a lot of experience and I expect them to be able to lead and help the younger underclassmen and help the people that are new to the team know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it,” head coach LeGretta Smith said.
Hartman is getting ready to have another successful season to help her team reach their goal of winning a state championship. She knows that she has to practice hard, often, and have a positive attitude while doing it.
“I just take really good care of my body and like paying attention to the small things like when something hurts, making sure I'm icing, making sure I'm getting the proper rest, eating healthy, and uplifting my team overall,” Hartman said.
Jila Vaden
Vaden is another star athlete for the lady warriors track team. She has become a prominent member of this program, and is doing everything she can in order to keep it that way. Vaden is currently ranked 3rd in long jump, 2nd in the 60-meter dash, and 1st in the 4x200-meter relay. Even with this success, she is always looking to grow and get better.
“I've been preparing by just going through practice every day, getting my work done, trying to stay on top of all my tasks,” Vaden said.
As a leader on the team, Vaden knows the role she has is others having success, and makes sure she is setting a good example for those who strive to be like her. Coaches notice these things as well, which plays out nice for the athletes as they advance their own skills and try to take them to the next level.
“They bring experience and the example they set with hard work each day,” assistant coach Brian Miller said.
Laila Smith
Finally, Smith has been a shining star for the girls track team since her first season. During her freshman year, she placed at multiple events in the state finals including the long jump and 300-meter hurdles. Last season, she suffered an injury in her leg that kept her out the whole season. This season, she is hoping to come back even stronger and lead her team to a state title.
“[Teamwork] plays a big part because you're constantly competing and when you have people to push you to work harder, everybody gets better. Soon you have a good team bond, then everybody gets better,” Smith said.
Part of this team bond comes from making sure people are in the best mindset, and as a leader, Smith knows the importance of this. She does everything she can to improve this for her team.
“[I bring] good energy and a hard work ethic because sometimes people get down on themselves a little too much, but you always need a person to cheer everybody up and keep everybody on a positive wavelength,” Smith said.