Whether it is sprinting to break a personal record or putting in the training to prepare for the next season, RJ Reynolds Demons love indoor track. Indoor track’s winter season is the perfect time for our Demon runners to continue building their stamina and prepare for their upcoming spring season. 

While indoor track is used by many to build speed and endurance for other sports like cross country and lacrosse, it is very much a competitive sport in its own right. So far this season, the team has had some victories at events.

“The special thing about indoor track is that there is something for everyone,” Head coach David Wainwright said. “There are kids on the team who run cross country year round and also kids who are training for lacrosse.”

The head coach for indoor track is Wainwright and he has been coaching the team for four years. He enjoys coaching the diverse group of athletes and strives to help each team member achieve their goals during the season and in their upcoming sports.

Because indoor track is open to athletes of all sports and levels, it creates a diverse group of student athletes that can help each other grow and improve their endurance and speed.

Over the years, the indoor track team has experienced a large growth in the number of participating members. A large part of this growth is due to a wide variety of players wishing to expand their athletic abilities during their winter off season. 

One exceptional senior member of the team who joined her junior year is Payton Dean. Dean decided to join the team her junior year looking for something that could improve her fitness for her upcoming soccer season. She immediately fell in love with the sport and instead of continuing with her soccer season, she chose to try outdoor track for her spring sports season.

“Indoor track is special because, although you are part of a team, it is an individual sport in which you are being cheered on and coached independently for your own specific and personal skills,” Dean said.

While the team works together to compete in meets and grow their skills, each individual has their own specific goals in which they strive to reach. The team brings students together who can genuinely enjoy running and improve together as a whole. All the players and coaches support their teammates to complete their goals and grow as both an athlete and a player. There is something for everyone in indoor track and may even lead students to find a new sport that they love and enjoy.