Coaches Corner with Girls Track Coach John Barthels

           Go Hawks!!

The ReSporter: Tell me if the girls or you have realized yet that this is the first team win for any track event for the Lady Hawks, what are your thoughts on that accomplishment?

Coach Barthels: “I thought that this was the first time that the girls had won a track meet, but I knew for sure it was the first time that the boys and girls varsity teams had won together. Turns out it was both.”

The ReSporter: How close are you to getting to know what each girls strengths are?

Coach Barthels: “I know what their strengths are, we are just now starting to see them believe in themselves to show those strengths.”

The ReSporter: This is probably the most depth the Hawks have had as they scored in 13 of the 16 events, what has happened in order to get to this level?

Coach Barthels: “Honestly, word of mouth. Everyone hears the word track and thinks it only involves running and it is much more than that.”

The ReSporter: Two of your Relay teams are challenging the best times already, is there a concern that they might peak too soon or do you feel this group of ladies still have more left in their tank?

Coach Barthels: “I believe that we are just now finding out who works best together on these relays. We have not peaked at all yet.”

The ReSporter: What is your assessment of the Hurdles and having the addition of Emma Gray and girls like her for additional points?

Coach Barthels: “We have a larger group of seniors this year, the largest group since I took over the program 3 years ago. When you have a good edition to a team that helps the team out like Emma does, we get better. The hurdles have been an event that we have had success with, Bailey and Sydney have gotten better year after year and again adding someone with experience to an already solid core makes us better.”

The ReSporter: How do you work this team as you get into the dog days of the track season?

Coach Barthels: “We work hardest on Mondays and they understand that Monday’s are the days we have to work the hardest to get better, the other days leading up to a meet are used to fine tune everything.”

The ReSporter: Is there an excitement about this team or do even realize what they have accomplished?
Coach Barthels: “Honestly they just do what they do, we talk all the time about how these meets leading up to district is all practice against other competition. We are racing the clock right now, placing is great, but not as important as getting better.”

The ReSporter: Thanks Coach and good luck when you go to Bandera this Wednesday.