The Cody Indoor track teams have begun practice for the 2021 winter season. Bret Engdahl returns to the helm of the track team and is both elated to get the season underway. The Fillies are coming off a 6th place finish at state a year ago while the Broncs would finish 15th. The Fillies have a strong nucleus that will return while the Broncs look to be much improved. I was able to catch up with Coach Engdahl following the teams second practice of the season and he says the team is sporting some strong numbers.
“I was super pleased with the numbers. I mean, I think we’re at 36. We may end up with a couple more but that’s solid numbers, split pretty much in the middle. I think we’ve got two more girls than boys. Got some returners and got some new kids that are looking to do some things. So it’ll be interesting. New concept with the COVID and number restrictions and the limited opportunities but it’ll be neat. They’re getting to compete and participate which is exciting.”
Speaking of the returners. Grace Shaffer looks to lead the way for Cody this winter as she has been a state champion several times. Coach Engdahl goes on to outline some other names to watch out for this year.
“Sarah Andre and a bunch of them have done some things in the past. Really excited for Holly Spiering, she’s worked extremely hard. Much faster and then we have three of those girls left of that state championship medley team that are coming back. Boys squad is kind of young and new. We got Jonny (Williams) whose been a thrower that’s not able to wrestle anymore. He’s been a wrestler and with his injury it’s neat that he can still compete.”
The fundamentals of any sport are huge especially early in the season and indoor track is no different. Coach on the emphasis at practice early on.
“Like today and every day, we work on the fundamentals, just like every sport. We’re trying to make sure they’re striking the ground right, have the correct turnover and we’re mindful and talk to them all the time about ‘hey if you’re a little bit tight lets warm up a little bit more,’ take care of those sorts of things. It’s kind of different for everybody and that’s kind of the unique thing about track, is if someone’s a little dinged up we can do some things on the bike or we can do some things and keep them going. Kind of have an individual plan for lots of kids.”
And Coach Engdahl is the head coach for both indoor and outdoor teams and talks about balancing the similar yet different sport seasons.
“I mean, they’re separate but definitely with those kids that we know are coming for outdoor, maybe have a longer term plan where we have a 10-week season for indoor. Some of those kids, that’s all they have so we adjust that and do things a little bit differently but in the end we’re trying to compete and win as much and do as well as we can, set personal bests and do all those things every week.”
Each and every meet the Cody indoor track teams compete in will take place in the Campbell County Rec Center. They officially get their 2021 season underway January 23rd.
