West Allegheny track team faced once again with being a small fish in a big pond
“It’s always an honor to make the playoffs," said West Allegheny head coach Jim Hamilton. “But reality sets in hard.” Hamilton then explained that the way the WPIAL track semifinal brackets shake out often means that there can be major size disparities between teams on the same bracket. A team that may be designated Class AAA in football and baseball will often be forced to compete in track against a school designated Class AAAA in football and baseball.
“The way it’s set up, it’s hard for a Class-AAA team to make it to finals and beat a Quad-A team,” Hamilton summarized. “When I put in my best athletes and they have to run four events, we’re just honored and we’ll do our best. For instance, one of my best girls is going to run the 4x800 and do the shot put.” Hamilton noted that in spite of the unusual combination, the same athlete is able to run 800 meters in roughly 2:30 and is also the Indians’ best shot-put thrower.
“We actually trained hard on Monday,” Hamilton added one more resource. “It was hot and we just did a lot of intervals and longer distances. It was a long practice with harder quality.” The West Allegheny track and field teams centered around the track and field facilities on Monday; they ran competition scenarios instead of utilizing hill workouts, bleachers, or other portions of the school complex.
The West Allegheny boys’ team is facing an additional curve ball; they’re a young team from a young section. “They’re so young they probably don’t even expect too much [at playoffs].”
Perhaps this means that they’ll compete with clear heads. “No one’s even talking about any of the teams,” Hamilton said. “It’s just business as usual.”
“The way it’s set up, it’s hard for a Class-AAA team to make it to finals and beat a Quad-A team,” Hamilton summarized. “When I put in my best athletes and they have to run four events, we’re just honored and we’ll do our best. For instance, one of my best girls is going to run the 4x800 and do the shot put.” Hamilton noted that in spite of the unusual combination, the same athlete is able to run 800 meters in roughly 2:30 and is also the Indians’ best shot-put thrower.
“We actually trained hard on Monday,” Hamilton added one more resource. “It was hot and we just did a lot of intervals and longer distances. It was a long practice with harder quality.” The West Allegheny track and field teams centered around the track and field facilities on Monday; they ran competition scenarios instead of utilizing hill workouts, bleachers, or other portions of the school complex.
The West Allegheny boys’ team is facing an additional curve ball; they’re a young team from a young section. “They’re so young they probably don’t even expect too much [at playoffs].”
Perhaps this means that they’ll compete with clear heads. “No one’s even talking about any of the teams,” Hamilton said. “It’s just business as usual.”
track