Track is moving towards the middle of their season with the team having lots of individuals and relays place at invites. But two Senior runners, Avery Clark and Brenna Rodriguez have broken their records. Clark currently holds the 400 meters (57.28 seconds), High Jump record (5’5″), 300 meters hurdles (43.98 seconds), and 100 meters hurdles (14.96 seconds). And Rodriguez holds the Triple Jump (39’5″) and Long Jump (18′ 7.5). Even with both girls already breaking their records, there is still a few weeks left of track for it to happen again. 

Both Clark and Rodriguez have been running track since middle school but have recently started a few of the events they broke records. “I used to do gymnastics in middle school, then right after I quit gymnastics track was starting, so I joined…and then I just got really good at it,” said Clark about her start in track. Even though she has been running since middle school, Clark had never run the 400 meters in an official meet. The first time she ran it last Friday, Apr. 1, she broke the record and broke her hurdle and high jump records from the previous meet. 

Rodriguez had the same situation with the triple jump, “I have always done track, like in 7th and 8th grade…I never really did jumps. Then eventually I started long jump, then I just started triple jump this year; I knew I had sped, so I knew I would be good at it,” said Rodriguez. Despite only starting the Triple jump this year, Rodriguez broke the record at the Brophey Invite on Mar. 19. 

Both girls did training in the off-season to help with their successes this season. “Pre-high school season, I was doing club with the high school coach, Arizona elite. Then during High School, I have been doing weight lifting on my own,” said Rodriguez about her preparations for the season. Clark has similar practices, “So from September to February, I train with my high school coach, and we do more meets,” said Clark. Rodriguez and Clark train with head coach Clif in the offseason and durning the season, and he is impressed with their progress. “It takes time to grow into your discipline…They are both starting to really develop, and they are both seniors now. The times and jumps they are doing now show that they are ready for the next level,” said Clif. 

The Track State meet is happening on May 7, 11, 14, and Rodriguez is working towards it with hopes of placing, “I am already going to state for long and triple, so maybe place top 3 in long and triple at state, and hopefully make it for 4 by 1,” said Rodriguez. While Clark focuses on getting new personal records and college, “To keep PRing and just get my times down to help me run in college next year and make college coaches more interested in me,” said Clark. With Track coming up to its midseason point, there is still lots of time for Rodriguez and Clark to improve even more, which Clif knows they can do. “I would love for them to be in the top three at state and produce the times and jumps they want, and I think they will because we are already seeing it,” said Clif.