Sweat beads off the top of the runner’s forehead as his legs find rhythm and he gains speed; he’s tired, but the physical and mental training prior to the race will push him to give all he’s got.

“Track and field is a very mental sport, and you have to have strong mental fortitude to begin with, otherwise you’re not going to get the most out of your physical performances,” Coach Roof said. The Boys Track Team has been using this mental strength to push themselves to place high in many events this season.

Boys Track took second place in the city championship, following Morgan Park, on May 6; the boys missed first place by 23 points. David Oluyadi came in first place for the triple jump, and the Varsity boys were some of the top scorers in 16 out of 17 events. The frosh-soph boys won city and placed in 15 out of 16 events.

“I would say that I am more confident in not only myself but my teammates,” said Oluyadi, Div. 776. “The work ethic is just on a higher level in comparison to other years. We see the potential this team has mainly because of how many underclassmen with skill the team has.”

Roof has been coaching the Boys Track and Field Team for 15 years.

“It’s been a year of improvement for the upperclassmen and a year of excitement for the frosh-soph guys,” he said.

Over the season, Roof has been conditioning over 160 athletes and said “it’s [been] fun seeing the natural progression of all these new athletes that have never experienced track and field before and just watch them learn and acclimate and thrive in those events.”

Xavier Josephs, Div. 765, and Michael Banks, Div. 760, have both placed in the 110m hurdles as well as the 300m hurdles. Although Banks’ and Josephs’ main event is the hurdles, they also compete in sprint relays.

“My senior year has been very demanding because not only was I one of the captains, but the team has been relying on me for points at pretty much every meet,” Banks said. “The competition I’m expected to beat has become a lot greater.”

During practices, each teammate has their own training sessions, specialized towards their event. The hurdlers will do a warmup lap, follow up with warmup drills and hurdle mobility drills. During that time, sprinters will do timed drills and laps. Pole vaulters do a variety of body workouts that are gymnastic based because of the inherent necessity for body control and strength that pole vault requires. Once all of the athletes have completed their workout, they cool down for muscle recovery.

Despite the successful year, the track team has run into some obstacles. Chicago’s weather for example, has made it more difficult for the runners to practice.

“It’s hard for the sprinters to run fast when it’s cold,” Roof said. “It’s not a lack of trying, it’s just physically harder. All the other teams in the Chicago area have been in the same boat. It’s frustrating.”

The team consists of 19 seniors, who have been an essential part of the team throughout their high school years. Although the seniors are taking their talents with them, Roof is optimistic about the next season because of all of the talent within the frosh-soph team.

With the  motivation and guidance given by the coaches, athletes picked up more than just athletic skills.

“Coach Roof has taught me to be more understanding of certain situations,” Josephs said. “He’s taught me to view things in perspective, and he has taught me how to maximize my workouts to maximize my performance on the track and in the gym.”

The team trains for the indoor season, and that is considered conditioning for spring track. The athletes that compete in indoor and outdoor track train year round.

“Being a part of track taught me two things mainly: a lot of discipline, as working out so consistently and correctly so to improve is not easy at all, and also how to prioritize,” Banks said. “Being a part of something like track and having to handle business, and not goof off for fear of being ineligible to compete really shows you how you have to function in order to put yourself in the position to do well.”

“I see Track and Field as a family who encourages each other to work hard, communicate, earn respect, and be successful,” Oluyadi said. “I will never take for granted the opportunities Track and Field has created in my life.”