The trophy case on Foran High School’s main floor is filled with awards for football, baseball, gymnastics, and other major sports. However, Indoor Track is less visible on this wall of honor. The athletes are recognized with simple name plaques rather than flashy trophies. Here are some highlights of our indoor track athletes.
Trophies are only rewarded when the whole team wins SCCs or states, but when an athlete wins they are awarded a medal and a plaque. Although the names are similar, the indoor track has fewer events than the outdoor track and runs shorter distances since it uses a smaller track. This gives less opportunity for athletes to win.
People like Rachel Doran, who ran two miles in 13 minutes and 19 seconds, and Jack Ardrey, who ran ten minutes and 49 seconds, have worked hard to achieve their success. With a collective number of 33 indoor track champions, their hard work has paid off. Years of jumping, running, and working out yielded some amazing statistics.
The coaches state this as to why the champions got to where they are.
Junior Alex McWatters, one of Foran’s shot put throwers, says, “[Students] work hard, motivate themselves, push themselves.”
Students are always eager to start the season the first week after Thanksgiving break. On the first day of every year, they begin with three miles on the track. Being a winter sport, it still requires practice outside every day in the cold.
Coach Peter Jambor states, “It builds character and helps us learn how to overcome challenges.”
Jambor has been coaching indoor track for ten years and outdoor for 43. There is a reason he has stuck with Foran after all these years.
He states, “I honestly still enjoy coaching track after all these years, and working with the kids and watching them grow and improve and fall in love with the sport.”
After so many years and students, Jambor thinks back to Basit Iddriss, who was an SCC Champion in the 600-meter run and came in sixth in the state open. Since then he has continued to do well in his college career at the University of Massachusetts.
Jambor recalls one of the most memorable things one of his athletes has done.
“Nick Constantini cleared 14 feet at the SCC Championships several years ago,” Jambor says. “It was an amazing accomplishment.”
Clearing 14 feet during the SCC championships pole vault is an amazing accomplishment. This is an event where athletes use long and flexible poles, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar.
Coach Abbigail Blanchard believes indoor track could be more recognized.
“We have lots of individuals that are breaking school records and many of their peers don’t even know that,” she voices.
