A big part of being involved in a team is not about how good you are as an individual, but how team members function as a whole. With indoor girls track, this philosophy plays a huge role in both how their coach teaches them and how they interact with each other.

The indoor girls track team has started their season and is already preparing for their upcoming meets. The girls practice two to three days a week after school. The team works with whatever equipment they can access due to being inside.

“For throwers, we practice our technique with the limited space we have, usually in the study hall,” said junior Carly Chessin, who has been running track for three years and participates in throwing events. “Afterwards, we lift weights in the weight room.”

But practice isn’t all about skill. It involves a coach who, along with teaching strategies and improvements on physical aspects, will also teach the athletes how to have a good morale. Ric Cistone, who has been teaching high school track for 17 years and is currently in his third year with the Lady Comets, teaches the girls that although individuality is important, the girls need to learn how to function as a family.

“We try to instill a ‘sum of the parts’ mentality,” Cistone said. “Track is a team sport comprised of many different individual performances that ultimately lead to your end result. It is the culmination of the training, competitive performances and the motivation and encouragement provided by your teammates that allows for the greatest success.  We often refer to our team as the ‘Lady-Comets Track Family;’ it is that mentality that bonds us together.”

The girls have really taken that lesson to heart. Although track is more individual, the girls still take the coach’s message and encourage their other teammates, even though they’re competing against each other.

“The team will all cheer each other on,” said junior Kristina Anderson, who has been running track since freshman year and participates in long jump and throwing events. “You always make a lot of new friends, and you get very close with people in the same events as you. The people I throw with are amazing, and we’re like a big throwing family.”

The athletes appreciate the coach’s style of teaching because instead of focusing on just the skills, they’re focusing on the setting for these girls as a whole.

“I think [Coach Cistone] brings a sense of seriousness and encouragement about doing our best,” Chessin said. “He also brings a sense of fun that makes running track an overall good environment.”

The girls are already starting to get ready for their league championships, which will be coming up in a couple of weeks. Solon is in a league with two divisions, A and B, and the top 16 athletes from A and B will be competing at the league championships. It will be taking place at the Spire Indoor Institute in Geneva, Ohio, and all students are welcome to attend.