Girls track ready to attack the season
- Crete-Monee Blog
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Israel Graves
General Reporter
A practice may characterize the Crete-Monee girls' team this season. They have been improving their own game while motivating their teammates to improve theirs too.
“We are like a family of sorts, so we argue a lot. We offer a lot of constructive criticism to one another, but we also make sure that we are holding one another accountable,” Liyannah Anthony said.
This sense of kinship can be seen as they complete their conditioning runs. The team lines up on the baseline, taking turns completing a series of sprints. If a member trails behind the desired pace, everyone repeats the course. The players cheer, offering split times, as they urge another member towards the finish. Once they cross, they huddle, catching their breath as they discuss how they can improve the next time. The Warriors don’t simply run fast – they run together.
Anthony said the team’s winning tradition really motivates them.
“The standard that has been upheld in previous years is still held up to this day is that we win and we will continue to win.” Even with the really tough workouts, the Warriors keep going. “Kill days are the worst; they usually have all of us dead by the end of practice,” Anthony continued. “It’s not just about the physical aspect, it’s about how strong you can stay when your body is ready to quit.”
Anthony also has a favorite event and a favorite memory from the 24-25 track season.
“My favourite event is the 4x1, and my favorite meet memory is when we were at the Hillcrest Hawk Classic, and I hawked somebody down from Marian Catholic High School.”
Her advice to teammates and younger athletes is simple but sends a very strong message.
“Whatever you do, just come mentally prepared because at the end of the day, the game is mental and you just can't be strong physically but also strong with the mind.”
Senior Lauren Glover is excited to start this season with dashing results and to practice really hard to make sure this is her strongest year, no matter what.
“Yes, especially in the 200-meter dash, I believe that this will be my best and strongest year with that particular event.”
She says she has a friendly rivalry with her teammate Tamryn Farmer, a state-bound phenom who is ranked all across the board.
“ Probably against Tamryn, me and Tamryn are like an on and off thing. One of us usually comes out on top, and we are pretty competitive in this aspect.”
Glover said the conference looks tough this year, but they are putting in work to make sure they uphold the standard that has been set for years to pass.
“The conference is looking very competitive this year. I feel like we definitely beat Rich and Bloom this year,” Glover said.
Track has taught her a lot about staying focused and locked in, and it has had a great impact on her life and how she learns new life skills every day because of this sport.
“Track has taught me to always keep my head up, not listen to what nobody else has to say, and stay consistent, but consistency is what will get you far.”
Junior Dmiya Sallis Halle says she started track because of her family and felt the need to follow the legacy of her people..
“In seventh grade, my grandma told me to try it out,t and my dad was really good, so I thought I would be really good too,” Sallis Halle said.
She runs the 400-meter dash, which she says is painful but worth it. She emphasizes how much better a better runner it makes you when you can run the 400-meter dash.
“The 400 is my main event. It is very painful, but I push through.”
Even though practice can be tough, Sallis Halle says she really looks up to her teammates. She notices how locked in a focused state she can be, and big results have come from her.
“Tamryn, I believe, is the fastest person on the team; she is always laser-focused and ready to complete any task at hand.”
The Warriors have big hopes this season. With a mix of speed, determination, and friendly competition, the Crete-Monee track team is ready for tough workouts, fast races, and big memories. Coaches and athletes alike are focused on keeping their tradition of winning alive, one race at a time.