The Norman North track team is looking for success this season after head coach Jonathan Koscinski says they learned a lot the year before.
“Last season there was a lot of growth that happened,” he said. “Our team was extremely young and the expectation was that they would come back more mature and stronger this year.”
The coach says that he is looking for big things this season from members of both the boys’ and girls’ teams.
“We have a lot of athletes that I expect to finish very high at the state meet,” Koscinski stated. “We have three of the best boys long jumpers in the state. Camden Pratcher is ranked first, while Daniel Inoree and Mason James are both ranked in the top six. We also have one of the best boy’s pole vaulters in Tyler Deisering, one of the boys’ best two milers, two of the best hurdlers in Curtis Miller and Ryan Jackson, and a very deep sprint and distance squad including guys like David Evenson and Kaleb Favaloro and Shandell Riddle. For the girls, Kinley Kite is ranked in the top six for the 800 and 1600 and will be running the 3200 this weekend where I think she will put herself in the top in the state for that as well. We also have Reagan Peters who is one of the best 400 runners in the state, Parker Gladhill who is one of the best hurdlers in the state, Stevi Johnson who is one of the best 800 runners, and we have extremely talented 4×4 and 4×8 teams that should place at state as well.”
Along with all those players, coach Koscinski says that he has outstanding track athletes up and down the roster.
“There are so many other guys and girls I would love to mention, we have a fantastic team this year. And the great part is that most of them are coming back. There are role players like Zain Prater, Blake Miller, Halley Jewell, Devin Jansing, Miguel Dodson, Steven DiJorio, Lindsay Thompson, Duante Moses, and Summer Hanna, I mean the list goes on and on with these spectacular athletes.”
The only tough part of having such an outstanding team is finding a spot for each of them. But that is a challenge that Koscinski is willing to take on.
“Trying to piece our team together has been challenging for the majority of the season as we have so many multifaceted athletes that can help us in so many areas. This weekend at the Norman Invitational is when we are going to do our last experiment to make sure we have the right athletes in the right events.”