The first few weeks of track season can be difficult for schools like Wimberley. For the most part, coaches from the athletic director to the newest junior high hire share the belief that students in the athletic program should be involved in as many sports as they desire. It also means that seasons overlap and some get a later start getting into “track shape,” getting work on their explosive starts and speed.
Multi-sport athletes reap the benefits of crossover training and competition, building relationships with teammates and learning to fulfill a role in support of the team. The attitude is a hallmark between different sports and among more individual activities — golf, tennis and track for example — where the team places well when each contestant competes at their best and finishes as high as possible.
Girls athletic coordinator Lacey Lambert has been involved in Wimberley track since she was a high school student competing in the program. Serving as the head girls track and field coach is in her wheelhouse. Between her and boys track coach Josh DeMarco, the braintrust has created a winning program through various strategies and trusting the kids’ own competitive spirit to a winning formula — with the occasional nudge in the right direction.
“Part of the reason that our girls and boys teams have been so successful is we’ve tried to make it as much of a team sport as possible. For everyone to lean on each other,” shared Lambert.
In track, every point counts — every relay point counts double. Years of experience employing the team strategy in Wimberley has yielded multiple district championships for the Lady Texans and their male counterparts. The teams have advanced through area, regionals, and into the state track meet using a ‘better together’ approach. That kind of history can bring stress through expectations to win, especially when the program is facing a down year.
“This is the least amount of kids we have had in girls athletics since I’ve worked in Wimberley. The soccer team only has about 14 girls. the girls basketball program had 18 kids in the whole program,” shared Lambert. “There are 90 girls in athletics where we normally are pushing about 120.”
Those numbers can be attributed to a variety of factors, not the least of which was the disruption of spring sports programs in 2020 due to COVID. The shutdowns took students out of the routine of mental and physical preparation and competing — in athletics, academics and in a variety of UIL extra-curricular activities — and took a toll on student participation. That is a whole other story, however.
Track season is underway and the girls team has struggled. A few missed due to injury, others are involved in other sports or extracurriculars, yet the team is beginning to come together and make strides. Though a bit behind, it fares well for peaking as they approach district competition.
“Without those leaders to start off the beginning of the year — the girls that are diehard tracksters not being out there — has kind of gotten us to a slow start. But after the Navarro meet, I think I walked away with a smile on my face for the first time to see them participating and doing well,” shared Lambert. “Emily Thames went out and broke a long-standing long jump record going over 19 feet which is a major highlight of the season. Bailey Gold is starting to get her rhythm in her jumping events and in the hurdles, running a personal best in her last outing, and Jennifer Daniels is going to be a force in the high jump. We’re coming together at the right time.”
There are strong competitors in this season’s team with experience winning at the district and regional level. Thames returns to the 4x200 relay and has made a trip around on the 4x400 relay. The 4x200 ran a time of 1:45 and has the potential to set a new school record this season with a few tweaks. Regulars on the relays include Addison Laney, Laney Hennessee, Allison Dodds, and Lauren Foster along with Thames. A strength of the team in the past was domination of the 4x400 (mile) relay but with other schools catching on to the strategy, each year has been tougher.
“Canyon Lake has put a good team out this season and we’ve finished behind them a couple of times. Fredericksburg is always strong but this year they seem to be on a whole other level,” said Lambert. “We finished second behind them (Fredericksburg) at the Navarro meet with both Canyon Lake and Navarro there, which is a good thing. We had a time of 4:07 which is good but five other teams in district are finishing under 4:10. It’s getting tougher and tougher.”
“It used to be that we could put in alternates in all three relays at the district and area meets and still win or get second which allowed some of our girls to compete and score points in the open events like the 200 or 400. Those days are gone,” continued Lambert. “This year, there’s no playing around and that makes it a little difficult. I think that’s why our points aren’t going to be as high as we’re accustomed to and winning district will be a fight.”
Madison Anderson will be returning to the team soon in distance running with opportunity to pick up points. Cheyenne Gold is coaching throwing events and shares hope that those young women can add to the totals as does vaulting coach Caleb Hall. Hall has three young ladies working in the pit and expects to see some points from Risa Espinoza, Laney, and Dodds even with limited experience in a tough district.
The next meet for Lambert and DeMarco’s teams are the Texans Relays Thursday, March 23 — field events begin at 1:30 PM and running events start at 4:00 PM — at Wimberley’s Texan Stadium. The combined teams are slated to compete at the Pieper Warrior Relays March 30 as a final tune-up prior to their district meet scheduled for April 4-5 at Geronimo Navarro.
