The girls’ track and field team is preparing for its 2007 season, with hopes of a strong Central Coast Section (CCS) championship finish in the end.
Coming off a 16th place finish in CCS last year, this year’s team is focused on qualifying athletes to the CCS and state meets, and anticipates a successful season.
According to Coach Paul Jones, Paly graduated several key seniors last year including Katie Wanner, who competed in the high jump, long jump, and 4 by 100 meter relay, and Elissa Chandler, a hurdler. Nevertheless, Jones has confidence in the team, which possesses a great deal of depth.
“We have a good sized backup,” Jones said. “And our distance runners will be even better this year.”
Last year, the team sent current senior Alicia Ivanhoe, running the mile, junior Mia Lattanzi, running the 800 meter, as well as one hurdler, graduated senior Elissa Chandler, to the CCS championships. Lattanzi went on to the state meet, where she won second place in the 800 meter event. Current senior Renata Cummins barely missed qualifying for CCS in the mile event as well.
Jason Fung returns to coach the sprinters and jumpers this season and Joe Ginnanni will return for his second season coaching middle distance. Ginanni is also a Physical Education teacher at Jordan and Terman middle schools.
Paly math teacher Jeff Billing will coach the distance runners. Many of the distance runners ran cross-country in the fall, and according to Billings, every distance runner on the track team can break 6 minutes for their mile.
Shot put and discus are coached by Mr. Berg, and high jump is coached by former US Olympian Sue Rembao. The long jump coach is the student activities director, Allison Davies.
The team has depth throughout, especially in its distance runners, including Ivanhoe and Cummins. Additionally, sophomore Kate Olsen shows promise as a hurdler and sprinter.
The team competes in the De Anza division, the higher of the two athletic leagues in Santa Clara county, and faces a high level of competition from all the schools in the league. The competition schedule includes both regular meets, which are a part of the league season, in which all athletes compete, and more challenging invitational meets, where only the top athletes compete.
The first meet of the season will be March 1 at Saint Francis High School.