Despite travel issues, track team improves

The Green River indoor track team headed to Casper for a meet at Natrona County High School, but was turned back at Rawlins due to weather issues.

We asked head Track Coach Dan Hansen about his thoughts on the season to date.

Head coach Dan Hansen, a long time track coach in Wyoming, voiced his frustration afterwards.

“This has been the worst indoor season ever, as to not being able to get to meets,” he said. “We have had two meets canceled in the short season and competed therefore, in only two meets to date.”

Hansen hopes the team will be able to attend the Basin Nation Track Meet Feb. 20-21 in Gillette and the University of Wyoming meet in a couple of weeks, before finishing up the indoor season with the State meet the first week in March.

“The athletes have been resilient in practice, even when we haven’t had the meets we expected to attend,” Hansen said. “Our team goal this year is to show improvement in each of the athletes’ events. This takes hard work and concentration during the practice sessions.”

Hansen also said the athletes have not disappointed the coaches in this area and that in the two meets which they have had, several athletes have achieved either personal records or very close to those records.

Hansen said that as far as standouts, it is hard to say with only two meets under their belt.

However, Mariyah Brady, Greg Sherwin, Nathan Stevenson, Cole McKinley and Muriel Jones have all ran well in their events.

Hansen also noted that Kaelea Gibson has well performed in the high jump.

Hansen said the team’s upperclassmen have led by example, helping with the younger athletes during practice when coaches are helping other athletes.

All in all, except for the lack of meets, Hansen and his coaches are pleased with their team’s progress to date and looking forward to the upcoming meets.