Strong Early Turnout May Mean Splendid Times For Hazelwood West Track Teams

For most of the seven years that Mark Mendoza, and five years that Monica Kircher have been around the boys and girls track teams, one of the major problems they’ve faced is never having enough kids come out for track to field full, competitive teams.

Mendoza and Kircher both often tried to talk some of the school’s best athletes into coming out for track. But they say those students never seemed interested.

Until this year.

When the first day of spring sports practice opened up Feb. 28, more than 120 student-athletes (70-75 boys, 55 girls) turned out for track practice, leaving Mendoza and Kircher blown away by the numbers.

“I can’t explain it,” Mendoza said. “I’ve been telling kids here that play other sports, and focus on other sports, that if they really want to get faster and learn how to use the extra muscle they’re building in the weight room, they need to be out here running track.

"I can teach them how to really use that new muscle," he said. "I guess some finally listened.”

Kircher said a large number of the girls that came out for the team were freshmen and sophomores.

“We had a lot of younger girls interested in the team,” she said. “I don’t know how they’ll do out there until we start competing, but their energy at practice so far has been really exciting.

"I think we’re gonna have good year.”

One athlete in particular Kircher expects to have a fantastic year is senior Ausset Culberson.

A talented long sprinter and middle distance runner, Culberson was a member of Hazelwood West’s state-qualifier 4x400 meter relay team back in '09. Kircher believes she could lead a relay team back to state this year, or possibly earn a state championship on her own in individual events.

“I think she’ll be great in the 800 and the 300 meter hurdles,” Kircher said. “We’ll also use her on the relay if we have enough to put together a good relay team, (and) if not, we’ll probably just keep her in the individual events.”

Kircher also listed an additional 15 or so other athletes that could potentially make a mark for Hazelwood West this season, including seniors Kelly Johnson, Amber Snearl, Chanel Gwynn-Williams, Angelyn Rosenberger and Sonia Oladope; and juniors Lauralyn Rosenberger, Kiara Lanferseick, Charise Lacy and Shelby Howard.

Hazelwood West also boasts a number of talented younger performers in sophomores: Danielle Randall, Alexis Simpson, and Tyler Kelly, along with freshmen Dominique Whitaker, Jordan Phillips, Davianna Humble and Dornisha Doll.

Two members of the boys team that Mendoza said he expects to be standout performers were pole vaulter Brandon Robinson and long distance runner Anthony Riggs.

“Those two are very promising young athletes,” Mendoza said. “I’m really excited to see what they do this year.”

The Wildcat boys also feature several athletes that were standouts in other sports, including basketball stars Landers Riddle and Darris Smith, and football players Chris Woods and Caleb Simms.

“We’ve never really done cuts for track before here at West,” Mendoza said. “But I might have to actually make some cuts this year, just because we’ve got so many kids out that there won’t be enough (competition) for them all.

"It’s a nice problem to have.”

Mendoza also said he’s excited by the number of freshmen that came out for the team this year.

“Now I can have a legit freshman team,” he said, “and work with them as a group, hopefully for four years.

"That’s how you build up your program.”

Both Wildcat teams will open the meet season on Saturday, March 26. The Lady Wildcats will be competing in the Gateway High School Invitational at Washington University, while the Wildcat boys will appear at the St. Charles West First Capitol Relays.

“I’m excited to see how we handle facing good competition,” Kircher said. “It’s been a good start, but we’ll find out real soon how good we really are.”