Since the Cinnaminson Girls Track and Field team consists of a limited number of seniors this season, the team is overflowing with young, fresh talent. This dynamic promises consistency in numbers for upcoming seasons. The lack of upperclassmen comes from the loss of many graduates at the end of last season. 

Head coach Derek Moore discusses how this season differs from past seasons.

“We don’t really have a whole lot of senior leadership and any seniors that we do have, other than a couple, are first-year,” Moore explains. “So the leadership is kind of different because everybody’s young.”

Some may see this change as a disadvantage because of the lack of leadership, but junior Kellyn Coller only sees this as an opportunity.

“It’s a relatively young team, but that’s a good thing considering that it’s been pretty successful so far,” Coller said. “These people are only going to get better as they get older.”

This season, many members have proved that hard work pays off. At the South Jersey Elite meet, Coller and sophomore Jordyn Flunder both beat their personal records in the 100 and 400 hurdles. During the Penn Relays, a team consisting of sophomores Shiloh Moore, Sephora Cenet, Naa’ilah Munson, and Flunder ran a season-best in the 4×100 with a time of 51.28. Moore, Munson, Coller, and Flunder each received gold watches for their first-place win in the shuttle hurdle relay at the Woodbury Relays and broke the school record for shuttle hurdles at the Don Danser Relays with a time of 1:09:93.

Coller talks about the required efforts one must be willing to put in for these outcomes, stating that the “numbers don’t lie.”

“The results you see are usually proportional to the work you put in, and how successful you are is a reflection of everything you’ve put in leading up to that,” she said. “If you’re putting in the time, you’re putting in the work, then it will show.”

Training is an essential component to having a successful season. Not only does practicing your craft aid in achievement, but so does love for the sport. The inviting atmosphere the team encompasses has not only increased the girls’ enthusiasm, but has also raised the number of members. Coller credits the coaching staff for their thriving team.

“Mr. Moore and Mr. Kesten are very welcoming and draw the best out of people,” she said. “So if you have drive in you or the desire to succeed, they do a great job of letting that shine through.”

Moore, a veteran on the team, talks about the environment and why the track team is so enjoyable to her.

“Everyone is welcoming,” Moore said. “There’s a lot of team bonding that helps us get through the meets and get better individually. I get to be with my friends, and the meets are really fun.”

This spring track season, Moore has been matched with great results. Described as a “jack of all trades,” Moore participates in the 100 hurdles, high jump, long jump, double jump, triple jump, shuttle hurdles, and the 4×100. 

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is try something new or different. The nervousness of not knowing what the outcome will be can create a mental roadblock. Moore describes how the team members tackle their apprehensiveness, allowing them to grow.

“Sometimes people are nervous to try something new or do an event that they think that they can’t do,” she said. “But once you do it, you’ll realize it’s not that bad and you’ll have your confidence.”

It’s common for the girls to feel tense before a race or for their focus to waver between meets. Although track is very competitive, the team maintains an easygoing atmosphere between teammates and coaches alike. Coach Moore touches on some of the struggles the team experiences.

“Keeping the kids motivated,” he said. “It’s a long season, has its ups and downs. Sometimes there’s weeks that we don’t have a meet, so sometimes they question what they’re training for. We have to keep them focused on that.”

Coller explains how track is not only a physical sport, but maybe most importantly a mental one. Both perspectives work cohesively. It is important for the members to train both their bodies and their minds. Coller says the team continues to improve their mentality.

“I think not only are we trying to build off that endurance so that we have the physical capacity to finish strong and quickly, but we’re also trying to attack the mental aspect of it,” Coller expressed. “We’re trying to have the entire team adopt a really aggressive, positive mindset to recognize that we are capable of doing really great things.”

The Girls Track and Field team won the division after their last meet against Bordentown and will compete in the Burlington County Open on Saturday, May 11.