Speed, strength, and sacrifice

By Chase Stone

Sports Reporter

After battling early-season difficulties, Crete-Monee High School track and field athletes are starting to find their groove through stronger meet performances, more consistent training habits, and growing chemistry across events as they work to improve both physically and mentally throughout the season.

Track and field senior night. Photo taken by the Crete Monee Athletic page

Senior Jacorey Hopkins said training with the right teammates has helped him improve. He believes running with others motivates everyone to work harder and get better every single day.

Practices follow a structured routine but can vary from day to day. Hopkins explained that most days start with warm-ups and stretching before moving into workouts, but some days are more intense.

“I’d say to find a group of people to work with,” Hopkins said.

“As long as you have your set group that are people around your speed, that’ll definitely help you get faster.”

For Hopkins, track is about the thrill of competition and the satisfaction of improving. He loves pushing his limits and seeing his progress. Hurdler Brady Odorizzi is having a great season by focusing on strength and form rather than just cardio.

“Sometimes we end up doing a kill day,” he said. “It’s a dynamic warm-up where we’re doing all these stretches while jogging in between. It demands a lot out of the body.”

Although he didn't run much in the offseason, his hard work in the weight room paid off, allowing him to start the season stronger than expected. Odorizzi focuses on drills and repetition to master the timing and rhythm needed for hurdles.

"My track season is going well so far," Odorizzi said. Even though he didn't get to run as much as he wanted during the offseason, the strength training he did paid off. It helped him start the season stronger than he expected.

Competition motivates him, especially when chasing other runners. Having an audience drives him to push his limits and boosts his confidence. His goals for the season are focused on performance.

"My training routine usually involves doing hurdle drills, sprinting, and conditioning exercises," he explained.

"I also make it a point to focus on perfecting my technique, so I can maintain good form while I'm running."

Odorizzi said staying organized and resting have helped him perform better. He manages both by planning accordingly. Team members agree that hard work and a good attitude lead to success.

Team members agree that hard work and the right mindset lead to success. John Davis says giving it your all is essential in a sport where results are tied to effort.

He believes that if you don't put in the work, you won't see the results you want. This mindset has helped him stay focused and motivated.

"This season, I'm focused on beating my personal records in hurdles and coming out on top in more races," he said.

Davis said track has taught him the importance of putting in full effort and staying mentally focused during competition.

He explained that dealing with nerves and adrenaline before races can be challenging, but pushing through those moments is part of becoming a stronger athlete.

"If you don't give it your all, you're holding yourself back," Davis said.

He also talked about the mental part of competing and how hard it can be to deal with nerves before a race.

For sprinter Caleb Askew, this season has been his strongest yet. He said the atmosphere at the meets is one of the things he enjoys the most.

"I really love going to track meets more than anything; it's the atmosphere that gets me," Askew said.

As the season progresses, his goals have changed, but he's still driven to improve and get faster. His goal was to qualify for state at the beginning of the season, but now his focus has shifted to achieving a specific time in the 100m dash.

"I want to run 11 flat," he said.

Askew described practices as consistent and structured, starting with a lap around the track before moving into drills and sprint work.

“We start with running drills, like the 100, 200, and 400, and then finish with stretching to cool down, he said.

He’s also found ways to stay organized, like making a schedule, usually on Sundays. One of the toughest things about sprinting for Askew is keeping his form perfect to the end.

Athletes focus on improving, staying disciplined, and being consistent. They push through hard workouts, work on their technique, and handle nerves before races. Each runner works toward their own goals while helping the team succeed.

"Finishing strong is what matters," he said, emphasizing the importance of staying in top shape until the end of the competition.

As the season continues, Crete-Monee track and field athletes are locked in on improving and finishing strong, using every meet as a chance to sharpen their edge and make their mark on the track while building confidence together daily.