In sports for the youth, having a good coach is crucial for their development as an athlete. The impact coaches have on an athlete is pivotal for their performance and overall improvement in the sport. With recent trouble at Edmond North, many coaches in track have left, thus leaving the athletes completely on their own. Many students were frustrated and confused by the loss of five head coaches. Thankfully, after some time, they have gained two new coaches, Coach Lovejoy and Coach McManis for the sprinters and throwers.

Maddy Farris, a sprinter at Edmond North’s Track and Field, shares her thoughts on the trouble with track.

“At first, it was frustrating because it seemed like people really didn’t care, but the new coach we got, Coach Lovejoy, really truly cares about us, and it shows. I’m happy to have him even after all of the coaching troubles. Lovejoy himself has pushed me to be a better runner, so even though finding a new coach was an issue, it played out well, and I’ve improved from the new coach we got,” Farris said.

Another sprinter, Cacey Perkins, at Edmond North Track and Field gives her view on the issues given by the loss of many coaches.

“I feel disappointed and stressed because when you lose a coach, you also lose their coaching style. This can be annoying when the new coaches come in, they might work differently than the ones before. This affects me as a runner because now I will have to deal with different coaching techniques as well as now having to prove myself to the new coach and show them I have the ability to be great at sprinting,” Perkins said.

With the new season starting and the athletes getting to know their new coaches, it is exciting to see what is in store for them!