Addie Keller (center) competes during a sprint drill during a recent Monarch youth track and field camp. MHS assistant coach Caleb Downey, left, gives instructions. (Photo submitted)
Although the high school track and field season concluded a couple of weeks ago, Marysville coaches and athletes have still been busy.
The program recently held a camp for students who will be in grades 3-9 during the 2021-22 academic year.
The camp was not held a couple of years ago as the old track was torn up during the upgrades to the high school football stadium.
It was halted a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was held this year at Marysville’s new track, which went through its inaugural season this past spring.
The camp was put together by Monarch assistant coaches Luci Howard and Heather Plumb.
Members of the Marysville coaching staff instructed youngsters in the sport.
“The first two days were an instructional phase,” said head coach Luke Sundermeier. “We introduced our campers to fundamentals in field events, going over hurdles and getting a good start out of the blocks.”
The third day saw campers participate in several events.
“We wanted to give them a sense of what competition is like in each track and field event,” said the head coach.
“This gives younger students exposure to track and field,” said Sundermeier.
“We had current track and field athletes work as instructors,” he said. “That’s another way for them to learn more about their own events… to work in instructing younger students.
“We also had several of our former athletes return to help with the camp.”
Sundermeier said it’s never too early to introduce youngsters to track and field.
“We didn’t have a 2020 season,” he said. “As a result, 80% of our girls team this past season had never competed in a high school track and field meet.
“We feel the camp is a good way to increase interest in track and field.”
The three-day sessions attracted 60 participants, which is higher than in recent years.
“We held a camp three years ago at our old track and drew 45 boys and girls,” said Sundermeier.
The camp’s upsurge in attendance coincides with the increase over the years in the number of MHS track and field participants.
Sundermeier joined the Monarch staff in 2013 as an assistant coach.
“We had between 50 and 60 boys and girls in the program that year,” he said. “This past season, the number stood at 150.
“It is eventually our goal to have 100 athletes on both the boys and girls teams.”
The MHS program will host a mini-meet at the high school track.
It will be held on Wednesday, July 7.
Registration will begin at 4 p.m. and events will start at approximately 5 p.m.
Athletes will compete in the 100 and 200 dash, the 800 and 1600 meter run, the 4×100 relay and field events.
There will also be a free kids dash.
The event to open to track and field athletes of all ages.
There is a fee for both students and adults.
Sundermeier will also conduct a pole vault camp in late July.
The dates for that camp have not yet been finalized.
Marysville High School assistant track and field coach Chris Terzis, left, instructs James Stevenson in the shot put. The Monarchs recently held a youth camp as part of their summer activities. (Photo submitted)