Student athletes represent their schools. But they can’t earn varsity letters.
Competitors do the best they can. But they can’t establish program records.
It’s physically demanding. But physical examinations are not required to train and compete.
It’s recognized by the PIAA. But it’s not sanctioned by the governing body.
But here’s the kicker: It’s an out-of-the-classroom experience where kids learn life lessons, interact with their peers, and build team connections and personal self-esteem.
Winter track and field may just be an extracurricular that’s as close to being a sport as one can be without actually being one. Philosophically speaking, the off-season training program pushes the boundaries of what exactly a sport should be or could be.
Rob Bare has been the head track and field coach at Cedar Crest for 28 years, and he’s been the Falcons’ volunteer head winter track and field coach for the same amount of time. Danny Byrd has been the head track and field coach at Palmyra for 17 years, and he’s been the Cougars’ volunteer head winter track and field coach over those same 17 seasons.
“It’s kind of like a combination of a club and school sport,” said Byrd. “I would not be opposed to it becoming an official sport, but I do have some reservations. I worry about kids peaking twice, at the end of both seasons. I don’t think the PIAA’s involvement would be a bad thing. It’s a weird thing. In some states, (winter track and field) is (a) sanctioned sport.”
“The best thing student-athletes can do in the winter season is play basketball, wrestle, or swim,” said Bare. “But if they don’t, the best thing they can do is winter track and field. It’s very similar to what other sports do in the off-season, except we go to meets to compete.”
At some schools, winter track and field is recognized as an official varsity sport, but at Cedar Crest and Palmyra, it is not. Every Lebanon County track and field program sponsors some form of winter track and field program, to some degree.
Winter track and field is very similar to spring track and field, except for differences in a handful of events. In the winter, a greater emphasis is placed on individual performances, and no team standings exist.
Winter track and field begins in early December and runs up until the beginning of the spring season in March.
“The purpose is to build a foundation, increase technique, and get ready for the springtime,” said Bare. “Programs that are practicing three, four, five days a week in the winter are going to have an upper hand in the spring, especially early. We do it because it pays off for the kids. When kids are up on awards stands, it’s because they showed up in the winter. Hard work makes dreams come true. There’s no replacement for hard work.”
“I definitely think the indoor (winter) stuff is growing,” said Byrd. “There are more opportunities for kids to be successful. The downside is the budget, just paying for another sport. If you’re going to make it an official sport, it could be more of a strain on schools.”
After an average of about 60 student athletes showed up for Cedar Crest’s voluntary winter track and field workouts last year, Bare and his staff have been working with as many as 88 competitors this season. At Palmyra, Byrd is helping about 30 student athletes hone their skills.
“We have a core group of guys who work hard,” said Byrd. “I don’t push it quite as much as other coaches do, but I think it kind of works for us. Everybody has to get creative in the wintertime to get stronger. I have a lot of kids who want to train but don’t want to compete. I leave that up to the kids. I’ve been blessed with some really good kids, and I want them ready to go in the spring.”
“I’m blessed to have great student athletes and the numbers are through the roof,” said Bare. “Some kids will come out for winter track and not the spring, but most will. A lot of kids are looking for something to do. Some kids just want to learn to work out or be with their friends. But just about everybody who should be there is there, and that’s awesome.”
Many area colleges host indoor track and field meets for high school athletes throughout the winter and the level of competition is very high. Cedar Crest typically competes at about four or five of those events each year.
“One of the biggest things is the amount of programs that are out there right now (competing in winter track and field),” said Bare. “It’s evolved into anyone and everyone. It’s pretty cool to see how many schools are on board with it. To make states in the winter (the Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association’s Indoor State Championships at Penn State) is just as hard to make states in the spring.”
“There’s a meet every weekend that we could take our kids to, and when we do we have to enter the kids under our school banner,” said Byrd. “It’s (winter track and field) been there, but I think there’s definitely more (indoor) competitions now. I’d like to see the PIAA sanction certain meets. There’s a financial aspect to it, but I’ve got more kids who are willing to travel. The kids work hard. They want to do well.”
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