On Jan. 24, Downey High’s track team hosted an all-comers meet on their very own track to get a feel for what their upcoming track season would look like.  Although the all-comers meet was an invitation to track athletes from all over the surrounding area, it also served as a fundraiser for Downey’s team and as a way of tracking each individual’s progress for the events they compete in.

Junior Brian Casillas [pole vaulter] expressed his motivation to improve in order to accomplish a successful track season on his behalf.

“The all-comers meet helps me see what I need to improve before season starts,” Casillas said.  “I want to make sure I’m a part of the ‘heat,’ which is the track version of a starting line-up.”

Other track athletes like Peter Silva, 11, viewed the meet as an opportunity to compete before the actual competing begins. Although the majority of the students at the meet were from Downey High, there was still a great deal of competition.

“Today made me see how much harder I need to work in order to be successful,” Silva said.  “I’m also trying to beat my teammates’ efforts in a friendly way of course.”

Besides competing and looking for ways to improve, athletes also went to have fun and experience new events that they wouldn’t normally compete in.  No athlete was restricted to a particular event.

Miguel Esquitin, 12, was one who already knew what events he was preparing for, but decided to try new things.

“Although I am showing a lot of potential for my second track season, it was fun to get out there and see what else I might be good at,” Esquitin said.
Track season will begin in the spring and it deems to be a promising season for the team. The track team expressed their confidence of executing a great season because of how hard they believed they worked at the meet.  From monitoring progress to having some fun, Downey’s track team raised some money for their upcoming season.