East Bakersfield High School Track and Field 2024 Season Preview(CA)

As the spring season approaches, East Bakersfield High School's track and field team is gearing up for another competitive season. With their sights set on winning a league championship, the team is determined to give their all on and off the track. We had the opportunity to speak to Coach Coach Bland, who gave us a preview of this year's team and their goals. "Every year, our overall goal is to win a league championship," Coach Bland shared. "We have a talented group of students who have been working hard to achieve this goal." When asked about the top returners for both the boys and girls team, Coach Bland highlighted the standout performances of Axel Ramirez and Jared Delgado for the boys team, and Leslie Aquino and Andrea Martinez for the girls team. These athletes have shown great potential and determination in their previous seasons, and are expected to make a significant impact this year as well. One of the advantages of track and field is the natural formation of team chemistry. Coach Bland acknowledges this and emphasizes on the importance of the work the athletes put in together. "They grow closer to each other because of the work they put in together," he stated. "They support each other in every facet of the game from practice to meets." As a coach, part of Coach Bland's role is to motivate and provide positive reinforcement whenever possible. However, he also acknowledges that it is ultimately up to the athletes to choose to push themselves to their full potential. "I continue to give positive reinforcement whenever I can," he said. "But at the end of the day, it is up to the athletes to decide to be great." When asked about the team's focus on opponents, Coach Bland made it clear that their focus lies on their own team's performance. "In track and field, we use the season to get ready for the league championship," he explained. "We don't focus on opponents, we focus on improving ourselves and reaching our own goals." Coach Bland also shared his coaching philosophy, stating that he is a student of the game and constantly adapts his coaching style as needed. "That may be from season to season or even in the middle of the season," he said. "I am always learning and doing what is best for the athletes." In track and field, the mental aspect of the sport is just as important as the physical.