Daniel Grant
At the Comal Relays on Feb. 14, sophomore Ethan Hennessey hurdles his way to a third place finish in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 16.91. Two weeks later, he placed sixth with a time of 16.65.
Track hosted the Ranger Relays on Saturday and look to improve times the season progresses. Coach Bren Jones s talked about the upcoming track season and how both coaches and athletes prepare for each track meet and what their goals might be.
Track has the Cougar Relays coming up on Saturday.
Having had success in 2023 bringing a girls state championship back to the school, what are the goals for this year?
Our goals are always to improve with every practice and track meet; win District, win Area, win Regionals and Win State.
What is the biggest challenge you face as the head coach of the track team?
Not really a challenge, but having a plan to help athletes get better each day. There are 17 UIL events in Texas high school track and field. So, you have to have a daily plan for everyone. We have a great coaching staff that is awesome when it comes to planning workouts and being observant of technique.
How do you foster team spirit and camaraderie among athletes, especially since track can be an individual sport at times?
Communication is key. Also, at Smithson Valley, we have a large number of student athletes that either try out and or travel to track meets. So, there is competition every day to be on the travel team. Also, you have to continue to let them know that although track is an individual sport, each event matters and it determines the outcome of the meet based on a point system.
How do you prepare the team mentally for big meets or competitions?
Communicate with the coaching staff to make sure we have the correct athletes in the correct events for that week. Also, just making sure the team knows how to prepare, rest, properly warm up, and have a good mindset to compete hard.
How do you handle setbacks, such as a poor performance or an athlete not meeting expectations?
Continue to train athletes to get better. Athletes know how they performed. We are honest with athletes, but we also use integrity when speaking to them if they need to improve their performance.
What is your coaching philosophy, and how do you motivate your athletes?
My philosophy is to have an organized and disciplined atmosphere. Also, of importance, is to treat everyone with respect. The goal is not only to teach skills for competition but to have student athletes learn positive life lessons that can carry them through their own lives.
What has been one of your proudest moments as a coach?
Being a part of the girls track and field state championship in 2023 and the football state championship this year.