Froid/Lake Track Enjoys Good Turnout

By Bill Vander Weele

After enjoying great success during the fall and winter sports seasons, the Froid/ Lake Red Hawks have an excellent turnout for track this spring.

First-year coach Jalen Hendrickson said the program has 26 athletes out for the sport this year including 19 boys.

“It’s a great turnout. It’s a lot more that I thought we would have,” Henrickson said.

Usually the sport has attracted numbers in the low teens.

“It’s been a long time since it’s been 20-plus,” the coach noted.

He added that he’s been telling the students that track gets them faster and stronger for other sports. “I’ve been drilling that in their heads for the last couple of years.”

The squad includes only three athletes who have competed in high school track during prior seasons. Senior Issac Johnson has experience in jumps and sprints. Junior Javonne Nesbit has competed in the triple jump and 200. Senior Sydney Dethman is expected to be a jumper for the Red Hawks.

Hendrickson said events for the other 23 athletes will be decided based on what they want to do and areas where the coaching staff feels they can be successful.

“Hopefully by the time we get to districts, we know where we can compete well in,” Hendrickson said.

He feels many of the team members have the potential to have very good track seasons.

“We just want to get them bigger, stronger and faster every day,” the coach added.

With 19 athletes in the boys’ division, the Red Hawks could be in the battle for some district meet hardware this season.

“It’s not out of our range,” Hendrickson said.

The Red Hawks will open their season at the Wibaux Invitational in Glendive on Saturday, April 10.