For the outdoor girls track and field captains, winter track is a “party” and spring track is a “family.”

With a smaller team, the girls find themselves making new friends and building strong bonds. 

Captain Brooke Davis, who is a high-jumper and 800 meter runner, said, “There’s people here that I haven’t talked to all year until now and it’s crazy because it feels like I’ve known them forever, so it’s really special to see that bond.”

Head Coach Cailtin McCarron-Deely said its a senior and junior heavy team, but “they are really good at setting the tone and mentoring the younger group.”

Captain Lindsey Klein, who’s a sprinter, said everything they have learned from their captains throughout the years has culminated in this season. 

“At first it seemed like we were so far away from being seniors and now that we’re here, I think we really learned how to make everyone feel like we’re all family and just encourage each other,” Klein said.

Captain Lauren Kiser, who’s a sprinter and triple jumper, said that the start of the season was initially overwhelming, but now everyone seems to have adjusted and are getting “the hang of it together.”

McCarron-Deely said the athletes are “really strong” and “committed” to making this a good season, which has already been going “pretty well.”

There are a few upperclassmen looking to make it to states, so the challenge has been finding the balance between providing them with the training necessary to hit those goals as well as giving the focus to girls who may be brand new to the sport, McCarron-Deely said.

Davis said at meets, “everyone is cheering for everyone — it’s just like a beautiful community.”

While the girls were winning their meet against New Bedford High School on Wednesday, April 24, teammates Emma Cunningham, Sophie Wentworth and Molly Cunningham were at the boys track and field meet in Dartmouth helping maintain the field. 

All three girls said they had high hopes for the season, each looking to break their personal records in their respective events. 

Wentworth said the value of the sport is “you’re not against anyone — you’re against another school — but everyone from your side, you all hype each other up.”

She added she used to play another sport that was more intense and she didn’t enjoy it as much: “In track, everyone just lifts each other up and that’s one thing I really love about it. You don’t have to be too competitive because it’s about self growth.”