Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Javelin specialist Ryan Proctor watches his fellow event athletes at a recent Bulldogs practice. They are (from left): Josh Frame, Davy Phillips, Ammar Alkohlani and Blake Powell. With 27 Track and Field competitors, the Dayton team has more numbers and depth than last year and is expected to do much better during the 2011 season. Above: high jumper Brandon Clark flies over the bar.
DAYTON - The mellow, late-winter sun cuts in low across the Bulldogs track field as various athletes practice their specialties.
Courtney Fuller is taking another run at the hurdles. Davy Phillips and Ammar Alkohlani are trying their javelin reach. Samura Miller and Briana Fulbright get in position to take straddle jumps at the high bar.
They laugh as minor things go wrong. After all, this is one of their first practices, and the students are still finding their groove in their new or revived spring sport. A little levity is helpful in getting the season off the ground.
Head coach Shannon Turner says the humor reflects the spirit and chemistry on the 2011 team. But make no mistake. The Bulldogs take their competition in 15 of the 17 track and field events very seriously.
"Everyone on the team is working very hard at practices and trying to improve in their daily events," Turner said. "The chemistry and team spirit are great this year."
Turner says the team's goals include strengthening fitness and mental toughness; working together and accepting responsibility; working hard to attain goals, exceling and succeeding in each event; always finishing better; and last but not least: advancing individuals and teams to district and state tournaments.
The Bulldogs may have a better shot at that last goal with the 2011 team. Twentyseven athletes have signed up for this year's events, compared to 17 last year.
Turner is confident her team will be competitive in the men's high jump and women's hurdles, 100-meter relay, long jump and longdistance events to name a few.
"We have a solid group of track athletes that are turning out," she said.
Look for Fulbright to place in the top five in the long jump and triple jump; Fuller to place high in the women's 100-meter hurdles, 100-meter dash and the long jump; Josh Frame to do well in the 100-meter sprint; Garett Turner in the men's high jump and Miller in the women's high jump.
Last year, district competitors from Dayton included Anita Jackson and Nathaniel Steen in distance running and Adam Strohbehn in the men's high jump. With that experience and a new longdistance coach, "they will all be stronger in their events this year," Turner said.
"Shawn McGee is doing an excellent job working with all of our distance runners," she added. "They are getting in shape quick and improving their times already."
The Bulldogs' first competition will be the District 9 meet in Clarkston at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23.
Bulldogs Track & Field Roster 2011
Briana Fulbright
Josh Frame
Davy Phillips
Seth Jackson
Zach Stenson
Ammar Alkohlani
Garett Turner
Blake Powell
Nathanial Steen
Kaisha Phillips
April Davis
Ashley Myrick
Justin Clark
Brandon Clark
Adam Strohbehn
Anita Jackson
Samura Miller
Gabriel Garcia
James Costello
Courtney Fuller
Marshall Nechodom
Chelsey Martin
Elise Button
Chandra Richardson
Ryan Proctor
Kiara Biggar
Taija Kinamon
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