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The Lowndes Academy track team is sprinting ahead for a great start to the season. The student-athletes have kicked off the season with a taste for success and according to coach Cliff Cobb, the students have been performing very well and are working hard to set new records.

“Our team is hungry for success and working toward setting not only personal records but also team records,” Cobb said. “Our combined team score at our last competition set a new record for highest points scored for our school with 157 points. The boys’ team was led by senior Clayton Hussey who placed top three in the long jump, triple jump and first in high jump. He also was a part of two relays that scored points. Our girls’ team was led by senior Carolyn Jean Forest who placed second in both shot put and discus.”

Lowndes’ track team has participated in three meets so far this season, ranging from Auburn to Atmore with one more regular season meet in Opelika before traveling to the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) state meet in Gulf Shores on Apr. 11 and 12. 

Forest noted that although she has had many successes so far in the season, there are still things that she hopes to improve during the next few meets. 

“I would like to work on setting new PRs (point records) for shot put and discus,” Forest said. “This has been the first year that I placed second in discus and third in shot put so I have some things to tweak but my parents and teammates motivate me to be the best I can be. No matter how I execute, I know they will always have my back.” 

Athletes that have excelled during the previous meets include: 

• Ben Azar in both sprints and relays.
• Huston Hampton in both sprints and relays.
• Camryn Hess in high jump, the 200-meter and 400-meter as well as relays.
• Charli Meadows in the 800-meter run.

Cobb said the team has done a great job at balancing their hard work with their fun, having many successes all the while competing at a high level.

“The AISA is full of tough competition and impressive athletes,” Cobb said. “Lowndes has had great success across every sport, and we want to continue that in track as well. Going into this last regular season meet we will keep pushing to be mentally and physically ready to compete at the state meet, qualifying in as many events as possible. Many of our athletes play multiple sports and put in the hard work and extra effort at practice and off season to be their best. I am extremely proud of their continued growth and seeing it pay great dividends for their future. We look forward to the challenges ahead of us, meeting our goals at state and pushing to excel.”

Forest also highlighted the team as a whole and said that there are a few things they have been working on to keep their momentum as the season progresses.

“We feed off of each-others energy,” Forest said. “That helps us in the long run because we know we are facing tough competition, so we really build each-other up and let each-other know that we are fully capable of competing with anyone.”