Following the momentum of its success in previous years, Shorewood’s 2024 track season has again shown promising results. The team has had an array of accomplishments, with the boys team placing first at regionals and second at sectionals and the girls team being runners-up at regionals. Along with these achievements, many athletes reached their personal best performances and progressed to State. 

Regardless of the team’s clear advancements, there was originally an expected struggle after the loss of talented athletes. Over the last two years, many important figures on the track team graduated, including Delea Martins and Nathan Cumberbatch, leaving the state of the team unpredictable for this season.

“This year has been really interesting because we have a very young team, both in terms of grade and experience level,” said Eric Matthews, coach. “I think particularly given what our expectations were in March, we’ve been very pleasantly surprised as a coaching staff with the performances.”

Dominic Newman, head coach, mentioned the team’s graduated individuals and the new demand to fill their shoes. “We’re just trying to figure out [our] groove, having kids step up and fill the leadership roles we’ve lost,” Newman said.

“Leadership is a cornerstone of any successful team,” Matthews said. “Younger athletes will always look to see how older, more experienced athletes deal with the rigor and demands [of the sport].”

According to Newman, there have been a multitude of athletes who have claimed these roles. Sam Diliberti, senior and a sprinter on the team, is a prime example of an athlete who took on the responsibility of leadership. With four years of track experience behind him, Diliberti now leads the team in warm ups, keeps his teammates on track for their goals, and helps with other tasks.

“[Leadership] mostly consists of people,” Diliberti said. “It’s a lot of talking to people and giving them advice through things that come up.”

With track being such a demanding sport, this collaborative form of leadership plays a big role in motivating athletes and eventually encouraging them to also step up as role models. According to Matthews, in general, camaraderie within a team can largely dictate their performance. 

“The first thing I try to get [athletes] to understand is that they are truly a team of people working together,” Matthews said. “As they [help] each other over the course of a season, they [become] cohesive and really close because they’ve been through thick and thin together.”

Throughout this season, the athletes have managed to create an undoubtable bond with each other. “[The team dynamic] is really good this year,” Diliberti said. “Everybody’s super supportive of each other and we all watch each other’s races and cheer. We’re working through [the challenges] by just letting ourselves have a good time,” Diliberti said. 

As a coach, Newman also finds value in bonding with the athletes. “[My biggest encouragement] is to make it fun, make it positive,” Newman said. “It’s on us coaches to set a positive example first and have our athletes thrive through that.”

Although there is clear importance to the bonding aspect of the sport, the process of embracing hard work encompasses the track and field experience. Due to its rigor, achievements in track become incredibly profound.

“I take a lot of pride in the quality of [our] program and it gives me a lot of personal satisfaction to see people grow and to push themselves,” Matthews said. “For most people pursuing track, [confidence] is something that they acquire over time.”

“[Confidence] is like a foreign environment, we’re not accustomed to doing that,” Matthews said. “We have to teach our mind and body how to pursue growth and development.”

By embracing the obstacles in the sport, athletes often discover valuable shifts in their mindset. “[My mindset] has grown a lot,” Diliberti said. “You can have a better outlook when you’re not avoiding the work and the pain.”

“If track is approached the right way, it’s a scaffolded experience,” Matthews said. “We get this crescendo of effort that usually culminates into something.”

Overall, based on the ethic of this year’s athletes, the future for Shorewood track looks bright. “[I feel] super optimistic,” Matthews said. “I think we are going to continue to carry the legacy of success forward in track and field.”