The East Grand Rapids Girls Track Team are getting on their marks and waiting for the gun to fire as they begin to run into track season. The girls are excited to get back out on the track, although it may be a while till they get outside due to the snow. Despite the snow the 2017 season is looking like it will be a success as many new girls decide to join the team. Interestingly enough, a majority of the newcomers are former lacrosse players so the transition shouldn’t be too hard considering lacrosse consists of so much running.

“I decided to do track instead of lacrosse because I wanted to try something new and I’ve heard that it is a fun sport to participate in,” Sydney Higgins ‘19 said. “ I am planning on competing in the 100 and 200 meter dash.”

Victoria Kratt ‘18 is another former lacrosse player who will be trading in her lacrosse stick for track cleats. “I wasn’t one of the top players for lacrosse so I wouldn’t have played that much and I really like the girls that compete in track,” Kratt said. “I’m hoping to compete in the 400 or 800 so middle distance races.”

At the 2016 state meet, the team as a whole didn’t do too well but the 4×800 came in 8th place and received all honors honorable mention. The team consisted of Abby Theodorsdottir ‘19, Emma Battle ‘19, Emily Converse ‘16 and Anna Laffrey ‘16. With Converse and Laffrey graduating there are two remaining spots on the relay team that need to live up to the standards that Laffrey and Converse did.

There is no doubt that with all of the new members of the track team there will be a hard time finding runners to fill these two open slots. With a new team there is so much untapped potential just waiting to be found.