They don’t have enough to field a football team and barely enough for a basketball team. A lot of them are trying out the sport for the first time in their lives, but the Turlock Christian High track and field athletes are giving it a shot.
Before this season, track and field wasn’t an option for students who attended Turlock Christian High. The spring sports choices for the girls were softball or soccer, while the boys took it to the baseball mound and golf course.
But thanks to Aaron King and Dirk Ulrich, the Eagles now have track and field.
And this group of athletes have already made an impact, as they won the first Southern League Meet of the season. In that showcase, the first-year coaches realized that they were working with promise.
A few Eagles won races, with some of them considered serious contenders to win titles at the Southern League Championships in May — even though the Eagles boast under 20 athletes for both the boys and girls squads.
And it all started because King and Ulrich, both assistant coaches for the school’s varsity football program, wanted to give the TC students another athletic option.
“You can have second-stringers and third-stringers and in some sports, they’ll never play,” King said. “In track and field, it doesn’t matter if you’re the bottom of the heat or the top of the heat, you’re going to get a chance to perform. And those people who may not be the best athletes, they still will be able to get a time or a distance or a height in. And the next week, they’ll have the opportunity to improve on that.”
The Eagles’ next meet is the Amador Relays at Amador High on Saturday.
Some of the team’s top talent includes Martin Mordea (200 and 400 meters), Daniel Schultz (distance, long jump), Austin Morelli (discus, shot put) and Jordan Gustafson (discus, shot put) for the boys, while sprinters Emily Retemeyer, Allison Ulrich, Hope Tinely and Paige Ulrich are considered the leaders for the girls.
The TC athletes are happy to be part of this first track and field group.
“I haven’t really thought about it that much,” said Aubrey Larsson, who competes in field events, “but it’s cool.”
To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.
Before this season, track and field wasn’t an option for students who attended Turlock Christian High. The spring sports choices for the girls were softball or soccer, while the boys took it to the baseball mound and golf course.
But thanks to Aaron King and Dirk Ulrich, the Eagles now have track and field.
And this group of athletes have already made an impact, as they won the first Southern League Meet of the season. In that showcase, the first-year coaches realized that they were working with promise.
A few Eagles won races, with some of them considered serious contenders to win titles at the Southern League Championships in May — even though the Eagles boast under 20 athletes for both the boys and girls squads.
And it all started because King and Ulrich, both assistant coaches for the school’s varsity football program, wanted to give the TC students another athletic option.
“You can have second-stringers and third-stringers and in some sports, they’ll never play,” King said. “In track and field, it doesn’t matter if you’re the bottom of the heat or the top of the heat, you’re going to get a chance to perform. And those people who may not be the best athletes, they still will be able to get a time or a distance or a height in. And the next week, they’ll have the opportunity to improve on that.”
The Eagles’ next meet is the Amador Relays at Amador High on Saturday.
Some of the team’s top talent includes Martin Mordea (200 and 400 meters), Daniel Schultz (distance, long jump), Austin Morelli (discus, shot put) and Jordan Gustafson (discus, shot put) for the boys, while sprinters Emily Retemeyer, Allison Ulrich, Hope Tinely and Paige Ulrich are considered the leaders for the girls.
The TC athletes are happy to be part of this first track and field group.
“I haven’t really thought about it that much,” said Aubrey Larsson, who competes in field events, “but it’s cool.”
To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.
