By Joe Wilson, Assistant Online Editor
A new coach. New athletes. A new season.
The spring track season is underway, and this year’s program brings significant changes from last season.
Most notable of the transitions is a new coach, Larry Reaves-Bey, who has taken over the role of sprint and jump coach. Reaves-Bey, who also coached football for the Demons in his first year teaching at Reynolds, originally intended to assist Thomas McEachin. When McEachin left his position, Reaves-Bey was thrust into the head coaching spot.
“The transition has been interesting,” Reaves-Bey said with a smile. “It was something I was looking forward to, and ultimately I’m happy with where I am.”
Reaves-Bey is not alone in facing a transition. He joins a team full of new runners a year after a strong senior class graduated.
Among the new faces is sophomore Cam Stover, a transfer from West Forsyth who was among the top sprinters in the Central Piedmont 4-A Conference last season. Stover is one reason that Reeves-Bey is optimistic about the season.
“I expect there will be obstacles, but I expect we will overcome them,” he said. “You’ve always got to expect great things.”
One runner who has weathered the changes of the team is senior Emani Williams. Williams’ coaches expect her, as a four-year runner, to be a leader.
On the distance side, things remain more intact from last season. Coach Ryan Solomon expects continued improvement in his third year, and intends to rely on his seniors to make the season a success.
“Spence (Kirk) and Dustin (Sneed) are going to be important for us,” he said. “For the girls, it will be Taylor (Wolcott) and Grace (Nicklas-Morris).”
For Kirk, his final season of running brings mixed emotions.
“It’s bittersweet,” Kirk said. “I’ll miss it, but at the same time I’m ready to move on.”
The changes this year are just a continuation of Kirk’s high school experience. Through the four years that he has run, the team has gone through a handful of new coaches.
It is not only the track team that has changed in the past year, however. The entire conference is undergoing a change that could significantly alter its dynamic.
The CPC has for the most part been a two-team competition over the last several years, with Reagan and Mount Tabor consistently being powerhouses. This year, the Demons will have to compete with another strong force in the conference: Parkland. The league championships will be held April 29 at Reagan, with many Reynolds athletes also hoping for trips to the 4-A state championships May 17 at North Carolina A&T.
April 11-12 | Scott Brent Inv. @ Mount Tabor | 4:45 |
April 17 | @ West Forsyth vs. Davie/Mount Tabor | 4:45 |
April 26 | @ Green Hope- NC Runners | 9:00 |
April 29 | Conf. Championships @ Reagan | 3:00 |
May 10 | Regionals @ Reagan | 9:00 |
May 17 | States @ NC A&T | 9:00 |