Sports dynasties are well-recognized teams, like the 1990s New York Yankees, 1970s Los Angeles Lakers, and 1990s Chicago Bulls, but in the world of high school sports, the LZHS boys’ track team is quickly making a name for itself as a local dynasty.
The team has had an impressive run of three straight conference championships, and if history is any indication, the team should have another successful year in 2013.
“This year we have a group that works very hard, and truly enjoys competing and improving themselves,” Jared Ripoli, senior captain, said. “We’re going to need everyone to step up if we want to continue the strong traditions that have been laid by the past teams.”
Those traditions are ones of overwhelming success. With three straight Conference championships and multiple State qualifiers, the team has high hopes to continue their streak of excellence.
“As a team, our goal is to win Conference on both the Varsity and freshmen/sophomore levels. We work hard every day to become better than the previous day, and we are never complacent with where we are,” Ripoli said. “We are always s striving to become better.”
In an effort to make the team better, the coaching staff has developed a plan to help the team remain as successful as possible.
“We have to put the right guys in the right spots. We also have to keep the guys injury free,” Randal Dunbar, head coach, said. “The guys also need to get their things together and put in the hard work to be successful.”
Dunbar says that individual hard work is most important to become a successful team.
“The hard work is so important, and the dedication to work on your own,” Dunbar said. “Because track is such an individual sport, you have to bring each individual aspect together for the team.”
The team has responded well to the work-on-your-own practice system, overcoming un-motivation, and believes this is what separates them from other teams.
“We plan to continue our success by keeping to that made us successful,” Ripoli said. “We are huge believers that hard work works, and this year is no different.”
The hard work spans from individual practice and continues into the everyday team practices.
“We keep the success going by working as a team to reach our goals and keeping a positive attitude going forward,” Robert Rossdeutcher, senior captain, said.“Every year is different, so far it’s been a great year, and I’m going to try to motivate the team to go out and do their best at every meet and practice. [And] hope that every week we just get better and better.”
Team captains Ripoli and Rossdeutcher plan to be role models in practice.
“In order to help the team succeed, I plan on being a leader in training. If the other guys, especially some of the younger ones, see the hard work and then the success following it, they will also develop these habits,” Ripoli said. He hopes that working on being a positive role model will benefit the team. “I believe that maintaining a positive attitude is a key to continuing to improve during the long season.”
With the hope that the underclassmen live up to their exciting potential, Dunbar is optimistic about the team’s future.
“The underclassmen are just as good as in years past,” Dunbar said. “And with a little bit of work to find their spots, the future is as bright as ever.”