by Alexa Duplisea
Although the winter track season is over and some are sad, others are looking forward to a great season next year.
At the winter track banquet on Wednesday (March 7) the team gathered for one last get-together until next season, but for some like captain Ashley Osmecki, this was their last year running on the winter track team for Hudson High.
She explained that she was sad about leaving the team. “Yeah, after looking back I’m never going to run at Reggie Lewis Center for the team again.”
Most people if they had to describe a memory from their track experience would describe a happy time when they might have won their event but not Ashley. Her memory came from the last track meet of her season, last year.
“Last year, when we had our old coach, I was injured, and it was the last meet of the season as a regular league meet. We were going against Nashoba. I shouldn’t have been running, and I decided to run the mile. I came in last place because of my injury. That day was the worst my calf had felt. I was screaming and crying by my fourth lap, but my team kept telling me to keep on going. I made it all the way to the end and collapsed right after I passed the finish line.”
This memory stands out because the injury affected her track performance. She had to sit out for six weeks. Then in her new season she had to sit out the first week, and the injury continued to plague her for the whole senior season.
Last year, last season, last team run. Those are the things Ashley is giving up, but what she is leaving behind matters to her. “I’m hoping that people will remember the season we had and remember me as the captain that helped them through the season.”
As a captain she had more roles on the team besides just showing up and running her event.
“My role as a captain was to be a good person to look up to. Even though there were girls on the team older than me, I had to be the good example. Being there for someone before their event, being the person that someone on the team could talk to anytime, and also being there to cheer on my team during their events and running the warm-ups.”
The two other captains, juniors Cat Zachilli and Loan Voung, still had one year left to achieve their goals, or make new ones.
After the season Loan had accomplished her goal. “Yes, I got a better time on my 50/50 hurdles.” This also tied into her best memory of the season, which was winning her event, the 50/50 hurdles, at a track meet.
Cat Zachilli also linked her favorite memory of the season to achieving her goal. “Breaking the high jump record of 5 feet and becoming captain.”
Overall, most of the team accomplished their goals, and Coach Spencer was proud of them. He has been the track coach for seven years, and he enjoyed the season with his players and felt “the team was fun and energizing.”
At the banquet he gave a small speech about every player and how they contributed to the team in a positive way. He said he loved “the smiling faces of all our athletes every day.” He loved the bond the team formed, and he wanted the same thing for next season.