Hackley Track Having Outstanding Season

It has been a very successful season so far for the Hackley track team.

One reason why is because of the preparation it put into it before the season started. Over spring break for the first time in the program's history, the team trained out west. It spent five days training at the University of California in Irvine.

"It gave us a head start," Hackley coach John Gillard said. "We got to work out in good weather for five days which was a big help. Besides being able to train without dealing with the inconsistent spring weather we've had this year, it also helped bring the squad together. Going out west was great bonding experience for the team. What was great about the trip was that it was something the team wanted to do, which was great to see."

Eighteen of Hackley's 52 members made the trip out west. They were Darnell Davis, Javier Paulino, Kojo Boateng, Adjoa Boateng, Cara Roberts, Abby Flock, Christina Johangten, Kristyn Kadala, Elliott Grund, Luca Ameri, Metika Ngbokoli, Marquis Wilson, Edward Makinde, Robert Cacace, Jordan Klein, Adam Parker, A.J. Wolf and Ian Parnell.

Hackley's schedule included two practices a day. The Hornets had one practice during the morning and the other in the afternoon. In between practices, the team spent time at either the beach playing frisbee, going swimming or playing basketball.

Downtime also included site-seeing at the Malibu cliffs, Venice Beach and Disneyland.

"The kids really enjoyed the trip," Gillard said.

More importantly, it shared facilities with the UC Irvine athletes and a visiting team from Cornell. Being able to do that was a big part of the trip according to Gillard.

"Sometimes when you are in high school, you don't realize how much effort it takes to perform in college," Gillard said. "For our athletes to see college athletes train was a good experience."

Hackley also attended a coaching clinic each day that was held by former world-record holder in the high jump and television commentator Dwight Stones.

Listening to a world record holder evidently rubbed off on Hackley because over the weekend at the Loucks games in White Plains, five of its athletes broke school records.

They were A.J. Wolf, who finished in second and set the school record in the discus with a throw of 151 feet. He broke the school record of Jim Reillly (who went on to play with the NFL's Buffalo Bills),  who had a throw of 150 feet in 1964.

The 4X400 team also broke a school record with a time of 3:29.6 and finished in third in the tri-state division. Making up that team were  Grund, Ameri, Andy Phillips and Parnell.

Angelique Parnell in the girls division also stood out with a second-place finish in the long jump of 18 feet and three inches.

There was also good news as those who didn't participate in the Loucks games took part in the Doc Rasbeck Relays at Irvington, where Hackley won the Class B boys championship for the first time. A championship that was helped formed back during spring break.

"The trip was productive and fun for all involved and set up the team for a very successful spring season," Gillard said.

Hackley will continue to look for more championship gold when it competes in the Ivy League championship meet 10 a.m. Sunday, May 16 at Icahn Stadium in Randall's Island.

"I think we really have a good chance of winning the Ivy League championship," Gillard said.