The indoor track team has worked hard since the beginning of November. With the season coming to an end, the elite athletes of the team are preparing to compete at states in Virginia Beach on Feb. 24th and 25th. 

Clover Hill has athletes competing in the 55 meter dash, 300 meter dash, 4×800 meter relay, and the 1600 meter run. Sophomore Torie Satterwhite will be competing in the 55 meter dash and the 300 meter dash, while Andrew Bennet and Caleb Wilcox will be competing in the 1600 meter run. The 4×800 meter relay team consists of Dominic Campo, Eric Walker, Andrew Bennet, and Caleb Wilcox. 

The indoor track team is missing a distance coach, but that has not stopped them from competing with the best of the best. Former Clover Hill runner and current D1 athlete at VCU, Jaden Luczak, provides them with workouts to get them into the shape they need to be.

“He’s provided us with the workouts for the past few weeks,” Walker said. “We’ve all been running PR so we’re going to go out and execute the dream.”

Senior Eric Walker talks about what measures they are implementing in their training to achieve victory.

“Serious meditation and fitness ability,” Walker said. “We’ve been doing gym workouts. A few days ago we did a really crazy workout where we did 400s and then 200s. We were hitting under 65 [seconds] for the 400s and under 30 [seconds] for the 200s.”

According to Walker, The 4×800 relay team has been training hard to prepare for their important race. He is extremely confident in his team.

“We’re what I like to call the apex predators of fitness,” Walker said. “We’re going to go out there and execute the plan. Peak fitness and hardware. So we’re going for the gold.”

Junior Andrew Bennett, who is competing in the 1600 and 4×800 events, wants to achieve a lot at states.

“Hopefully a podium finish and then just some champion racing experience which is really important going into the outdoor [season],” Bennett said. 

Bennett is also anticipating competing in an event for the first time at the state level. 

“I’m pretty excited,” Bennet said. “I haven’t been to states in the 1600 yet so it’ll be something new. Hopefully, it ends up well.”

Junior Dominic Campo will be running the 4 by 8 event at states. Campo opened up about the best advice he has received from his coaches in the past. 

“I’d probably say like free range,” Campo said. “For us distance runners, it’s more about us controlling ourselves and pacing ourselves and knowing what we can succeed in.” 

Sophomore Caleb Wilcox, who will compete in both the mile and the 4×800 also spoke about what he hopes to gain from states. 

“More exposure to higher level runners and more experience in the running scene,” Wilcox said. 

He has also done a few activities in order to prepare himself for states. 

“Continuing to train normally with my team and the people I’m going to be running with and I just try to stay healthy,” Wilcox said.

The runners do not get nervous before the race, but they do have certain things they do before they run.

“I try to tuck my laces into my shoes but normally it doesn’t work out,” Campo said. “They normally fall out.”

“Before a meet I like to get a coffee, play some Pooh Shiesty, and then we get ready to turn people over into packs,” Walker said.

With Pooh Shiesty, or without Pooh Shiesty, the relay team is ready to execute, lock-in, and win the race.

“We walk out on the start line and everyone’s talking and we’re just locked in because we’re already mentally in the race,” Walker says. “We’ve been through the race about three times before we actually get to the race. Everyone else is getting there for the first time but we’re already in game mode.” 

Sprinter Torie Satterwhite, who will be running the 55-meter dash, and 300-meter dash, discussed the best tools her coach Kwame McFadden has provided her to help her succeed in States. 

“Focusing on my own lane and being in my own line and space,” Satterwhite said. 

Most of the runners, apart from normal track practice, did things to help them prepare for state and Satterwhite is no exception. 

“Eating healthy and staying hydrated and well balanced,” Satterwhite said. 

On Feb. 24th and Feb. 25th, the indoor track team will compete at states at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. 

These are the results from the state championship meet.

Andrew Bennett: 1600m  4th place

Caleb Wilcox:  1600m  6th place

Torie Satterwhite:  300m 7th place

Boys 4×800 Relay:   4th place