Trojans get ready for two home meets this season

MANSON - One thing Manson and Chelan have in common is the obvious popularity track is for a sport amongst the youth. 

Similar to the high turnout for Chelan’s track team, Manson has drawn some heavy interest from their students, leaving coaches in a little bit of a pickle. 

“The coaches and athletes are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season,” head coach Kurt Toolson said. “We have the largest turnout of kids in recent memory, especially on the boys side. A lot can change during the season such as injuries or eligibility issues, but if we can keep kids competing and consistently improving as the season progresses it should be successful.” 

In dealing with the spotty weather in the early part of the season, Toolson has maintained a positive outlook. 

“We all have a little bit of cabin fever, however, we are no worse off than any other team in our area so there is no excuses as far as losing any competitive advantage goes,” Toolson stated. 

Plus, with the additional numbers, Toolson expects his team to be able to compete in more events. 

“We’ll be able to fill out events we haven’t been able to compete in previously,” Toolson said. “In addition, we have more coaches on the staff which has been immeasurably helpful in breaking kids into events and getting more specific training done. I anticipate sprints, relays, high jump and throwing events to be our strongest. Fortunately we have kids willing to participate in the distance events and hurdles this year so we are excited to see how they improve with experience.” 

Will the additional numbers bring better results than last year? 

“The boys side is particularly strong this year, as we return three kids who competes in the state meet last year,” Toolson explained. “With several newcomers added to the boys team we should be pretty well rounded and competitive with most of the boys teams in our district.” 

“The girls side is smaller, but we have three girls back from our state relay teams last year and they are experienced and capable. There are a couple of injuries that need to be overcome on the girls team, but I anticipate them to be at full speed by the end of the season,” Toolson stated. 

As long as the team stays healthy and academically eligible, Toolson is confident they will do well. 

The two meets that you should circle are on March 30 and May 2, as both are at Manson High School. 

“We have two home meets this year, and it is exciting to be able to compete on our home track and have our fellow students and community members get a chance to see us perform,” Toolson said. “Certainly the end of the season championship meets are what we really point to as fast as meeting our ultimate goal. It’s great to run fast, jump far and throw far anytime, but to do it at the end of the season so you can qualify for the state championship is the best reward.” 

The Trojans get their season kicked off on Thursday, March 30 when they host their first meet of the season. Cascade, Chelan, and Entiat will all compete with Manson in the meet. 

Zach Johnson can be reached at lcmeditor@gmail.com or (509) 682-2213