Saddleback High School Track & Field 2024 Season Preview(CA)

As the spring season approaches, all eyes turn to the upcoming Track & Field season at Saddleback High School. With a new head coach at the helm and a renewed focus on integrating various skill sets from other sports, the team is gearing up for success on and off the field. Coach Marco Garcia, a USATF Level 1 certified coach, is in his first year leading the team at Saddleback. This presents a new challenge for him as he becomes familiar with the athletes, their past results, and the overall team chemistry. But with his experience and knowledge in youth development and track training, Coach Garcia is ready to build a strong and competitive track program at the school. One of the key aspects Coach Garcia is focusing on this year is integrating the skill sets of athletes from other sports into the track program. Many of the student athletes at Saddleback already participate in other sports, and Coach Garcia sees this as a valuable opportunity to identify their strengths and incorporate them into the track events. Each athlete brings a unique set of skills and qualities, and by utilizing them in track, the team can achieve even greater success. Track captains play an important role in leading the team to success. For the women's team, Xochilt Ortiz is currently taking on this role, while Francisco Bejar is leading the men's team. These captains must exemplify strong work ethics, possess a winning attitude, and show leadership both on and off the field. With these two individuals at the helm, the team is poised for success. As with any sports program, injuries are a common concern for coaches. Coach Garcia's biggest challenge this year is integrating specific periodization schedules into the training regimen to enhance results and minimize the risk of injuries. This requires a thorough understanding of each athlete's skill set and creating a tailored training program for each event. Not only does Coach Garcia focus on physical training, but he also emphasizes the importance of mental strength and preparation. Along with traditional workouts and drills, the team at Saddleback incorporates foam rolling, stretch elastic band dynamics, and hip mobility exercises into their warm-up routines. These pre-workout activities help athletes not only physically prepare for competition, but also mentally prepare for the challenges ahead. Every athlete is unique and has different physiological capabilities. Coach Garcia understands the importance of understanding youth growth patterns and building a training program that caters to the individual skills and abilities of each athlete.