James Gates ’24 in action, May 2, 2022
The Fords’ track team looks to strike the ground running this spring. The majority of all track runners competed during the winter, meaning they have weeks of practice under their belts.
While the roster will remain similar, the team will undergo various tweaks. The team will miss Sixth Former Jaiden Shuchman, an experienced mid-distance runner, for their spring season. Shuchman will spend his last season with the Fords on the baseball diamond. Shuchman’s loss will be tough, but the team boasts several key additions.
After his diving season, cross-country standout Fourth Former Will Suter will return to the track.
“I’m excited to make a return from injury this track season, ” Suter said.
As the school year draws to a close, several students flock to the track for the coveted last sports credit. Perhaps the track team could find a diamond in the rough out of one of these new athletes. Only time will tell.
Though the track team will undergo several changes, the team at its core will stay the same. Coach James Hawkins, or “Coach Hawk,” will continue to coach the team. Alongside Coach Hawkins, coaching pole vault will be the familiar face of Coach Christopher Fox.
The Fords have a well-rounded track team, with strong and promising athletes in all categories of events: sprinting, mid-distance, and long-distance. As most sprints are decided by tenths of a second, the margin for error is minimal. To combat this, the team boasts many experienced sprinters. The sprinting unit is led by Sixth Formers Chace Knox, Yasir Denmark, and Zach Powell, who bring an exceptional level of experience and talent to the track.
I’m excited to make a return from injury this track season.
Will Suter ’25
Mid-distance runners are the “Jacks of all trades” of track and field. They require blazing speed, and great endurance to find success. Fifth Former Andre Innis, Sixth Former Amani Brown, and Third Former Ahijah Goins will headline the mid-distance group. Last year, Innis broke two minutes in the eight-hundred meters. Any track aficionado knows what an incredible and rare feat this is. Despite his age, Goins is not far behind, having competed with the varsity team last year, while he was a Second Former.
Miles and more miles. A perfect description of the training of a long-distance runner. Haverford has an incredibly deep field of long-distance runners. The Fords track team has three runners who have achieved the impressive accomplishment of breaking five minutes in the mile: Fourth Formers Alex Dardarian and Will Suter, and Third Former Colin Toth. As there are many similarities between cross-country and long-distance track, many cross-country runners will make up the long-distance unit. Sixth Former Colin Kelly, Fourth Former Mason Weigand, and Third Former Jack Ford are hot off a grueling and intense winter training season. The distance unit is ready to tear up the track this season.
The field aspect of track and field requires perfect technique. Fortunately for the Fords, two of the field athletes qualified for States in the winter. Fifth Former James Gates will look to claim his spot as best in the Inter-Ac in pole vault. Fifth Former Jey Brown will also dominate the field, having qualified for states in shot put.
