Bonding, improving, and running.

These three things define JC track & field. Although the February blizzard pushed the season back a week, coach Rob Torres isn’t worried. 

“I’m looking forward to a strong team with quality veterans,” Torres said. “We have a great group of seniors.”

In sprints/hurdles, Torres is anticipating the success of seniors Colleen O’Connell, Alesia Etinoff, and Liz Loiodice.

“I want to try and set at least one record this season,” said O’Connell. She participated in the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams in her sophomore year and the teams set school records in both races.

For distance, Torres expects success from senior Katelynn Colgain. In field events, Torres looks forward to watching Loiodice and Etinoff.

Loiodice said that her specialty is high jump. Her goal this year is to clear 5’6” or 5’8” in the event.

On the men’s team for distance, Torres anticipates the success of seniors Ian Richardson, Chris Kunkel, and Dan Gallen. In the field, Torres has high hopes for senior Jimmy Schultz.

Torres is disappointed to be losing these senior athletes next year, but he would “love to see them close out their careers in a spectacular way.”

The team is currently suffering from several injuries, including juniors Amanda Hudak, who has a stress fracture in her foot, and Brian Hunt, who missed all of indoor track this past winter due to a broken ankle. Torres noted that other team members are suffering minor injuries as well, but the team is going to do its best to “do the proper training and take care of any pains as quickly as possible.”

Despite these setbacks, Torres is “excited” to see the freshmen perform this season, especially those that ran indoor track, whom he calls “a very good group of new athletes.”

Torres said that the goals for both the men’s and women’s track and field teams are “always to field top quality teams and help our athletes improve throughout the season.”

Team chemistry is also important, as a third goal of teams is for the athletes to “bond as a team to help each other [improve],” said Torres.  

Overall, Torres is optimistic about the 2010 spring season of track, saying that as long as all the athletes “work to their full ability” and get the training they need, “they’ll have a good chance to meet their goals.” 

Like Torres, O’Connell is hoping for the best this year. “I’m going to try to encourage my teammates as much as I can this season,” she said. “Our big rival is McDonogh; they win just about everything.”

She hopes the team will “qualify for championships early on in the season.”

Mollyann Pais can be reached for comment aj [email protected].