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Building Athletic Strength and Endurance at Westville High School: A Look into the Co-Ed MS/HS Cross Country & Varsity/MS Boys Track Team

Fall Preview Series

30 August 2025 at 1:33:12 pm

Indiana

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Title: Building Athletic Strength and Endurance at Westville High School: A Look into the Co-Ed MS/HS Cross Country & Varsity/MS Boys Track Team

Introduction:
As the leaves cascade in the fall of Westville High, the characteristic rhythm of groundbreaking training and personal bests echo through the running lanes of the Westville High School's Cross Country and Boys' Track team. Our conversation with Coach Demetrius Clark revealed a program relentlessly striving for efficiency, strength, and resilience in its athletes, along with cultivating an engaging community around it.

Offseason Training Focus:
For the Westville team, the off-season has not been a time to rest, but to build. The prime goal for Coach Clark has been to hone a robust aerobic base for the sprintance and amplify the speed and power for sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers and throwers alike. The training steers clear of burnout by imparting quality over quantity and grounding mindfulness in both racing and training.

Unique Offseason Events:
The Westville athletes were put to the test during the offseason, facing high-level endurance tests like the 20m fly test and moving progressively through structured training phases that included aerobic, anaerobic speed reserve, and max aerobic speed. These benchmarks were crucial to monitor progress and set pragmatic goals for the forthcoming season.

Team Composition Changes:
The coaching helm remains unchanged this year, but the training dynamics have shifted. Instead of a high-volume workload, the focus is now stationed on quality efficient training. With a youthful roster, an abundance of untapped potential awaits discovery, fostering race strategies, speed, power, and endurance.

Coach’s Perspective:
As per Coach Clark, the current aim is the implementation of a structured, phased training plan for a harmonious balance of speed, strength, endurance, and recovery. Basing decisions on athlete performance metrics and prioritizing mental preparation to prevent burnout and breed confident racers are also focal points of the coaching strategy.

Challenges and Expectations:
Being home to a young team that is still developing track experience, the significant challenge lies in teaching them to perform efficiently. Moreover, maintaining a balance between workload and recovery to ensure athletes peak at the right time is another formidable task to tackle without drifting into overtraining and burnout.

Community Impact and Fan Engagement:
But while striving for athletic excellence, Westville doesn’t lose sight of community engagement. The emphasis is on nurturing a positive team culture and mutual support during meets to establish a robust program that reaches beyond athleticism.

Conclusion:
As the Westville High Cross Country & Varsity/MS Boys Track team hits the ground running this season, they embody more than physical fitness. They epitomize mindfulness, balance, and dedication in their pursuit of excellence, while keeping the flame of community spirit ablaze. Though the journey ahead may be laced with challenges, with Coach Demetrius Clark at the helm, we can expect a season filled with progress, celebration, and as always, an unwavering resilience. Westville runs on!

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