Now that it is spring, the Watertown Middle School’s track team is starting up again!

Many team members are returning for their second or third year of running, but there are many new teammates as well.

“I’m looking forward to getting better [at track] and having fun with my friends,” says Rebecca Hellman, a seventh-grader who is starting track for the first time.

Rebecca is going to run the 400, which is one lap around the track (or one-fourth of a mile). Rebecca hopes to run between 1 minute 20 seconds and 1 minute 30 seconds. Last year, Gabby Coppola held the record for fastest 400, at 1 minute 5 seconds.

Emily Carito, another seventh-grader, is returning for her second year. Last year, Emily ran the 100, a quarter of a lap (or one-16th of a mile). Last year, Emily finished the 100 in 16 seconds, and this year hopes to get closer to 13 seconds.

But the 100 and the 400 aren’t the only options for track. There is also the 800 (two laps, or a half-mile) and the mile (four laps). There are also field events, such as shot put, which is when you throw a heavy ball as far as you can; high jump, where you have to jump over a bar; and long jump, where you have to run and jump as far as you can and land in a sand pit.

Last year, the track team got T-shirts which said, “WMS track” to wear for the meets. This year, the track team got tank tops which say “WMS” in the top right corner, to wear as their uniforms.

All home meets are held at Victory Field, and practices are held at Victory and Moxley Field, usually right after school.

–May 12, 2010–