MHS track team pre-season update
Author’s note: Since this article was originally submitted, things have changed drastically, putting the track season into perspective. An important member of the track family suffered a major setback outside of their control. She stays included in this article because it will let you know how important she is to our team and this community. It also goes to show how fragile health is to each and every one of us. Life is not always fair, which makes each of us look at ourselves to do everything to our best ability and to not take anything for granted. At this time, we don’t know the long-term status of what has happened. The excitement when this article was written and how we felt last Thursday; now tempered with real-life adversity. Track and the season is secondary at this point. So when reading this article, know that this was a snapshot of what life was before this. Let this be a lesson to everyone, that life cannot be taken for granted. She didn’t deserve this. We compete for her this year! Track is a family and we will get through this with love and support for her and her family. At this time, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
submitted by Michael Coltre, Manchester High School Track Coach
The Manchester Track Team is excited to get its season going this week! The Flying Dutchmen are young on both the men’s and women’s teams, but that doesn’t mean they are lacking in talent.
The girls side is led by senior Lydia Bennett, who is a former State qualifier and poised for a big season this year in the sprint events. Siera Jedele and Addie Gale are looking to improve upon their honorable-mention all-conference finishes in the hurdle events last year. The women’s team is looking to the freshmen and sophomores like Olivia Woods, Abi Austin, Madelynn Bennett, Halle Parks, and Ellie Marsh to step into key contributor roles this season in the sprints and mid-distance events. Both teams are replacing a lot of senior production from last year.
On the men’s side, upperclassmen Mason Meyer, Hunter Anderson, Tommy Johnson, Brady Reed, Sawyer Lutton, and Rocco Guido are looking to step into key roles this year. Newcomers Luis Baron and freshman Harper Doyle have been looking good in preseason conditioning and are looking to find places to contribute. One freshman to watch in particular is Jayden Johnson in the sprint events and relays. Cody Branner, Landon LaVigne, Nathan Fletcher, Vance Williams, and Brett Brothers could hold the keys to the best throwing group in the conference and are looking forward to making some noise this year in the region and state!
Sophomore Grant Johnson is coming off two near misses from qualifying for the State meet as a freshman last year and is poised for a breakout season in the 300m hurdles, mid-distance events, and relays. Another sophomore to watch is Cade Sayer who is switching events from last year.
New Head Coach Michael Coltre, a Manchester alumnus and member of the school’s first Men’s Cascade Conference and Regional titles under Coach Mike Forner, is ready to hit the ground running and make up ground in an ever-competitive Cascade Conference that just added four new teams.
The Flying Dutchmen Track program, which boosts the largest numbers of any sport program in the school, will start their season off at the Napoleon Invitational Friday, April 12. They will host home dual meets on Tuesday, April 23 and April 30, against East Jackson and Leslie. On Friday, May 3, they will host the 45th Annual Manchester Metric Relays. Their D3 Regional will be hosted at Adrian Madison on Saturday, May 18, and the Cascade Conference Championship Meet will be held Wednesday, May 22. The D3 State meet will be Saturday, June 1, in Kent City, and for the rest of the schedule, look at the school website, pick up a spring schedule flyer from a local business, check out their team page on Athletic.net, or contact the track team’s socials on Instagram or X at GoDutchTrack or Facebook at MHS Track and Field.
Coach Coltre is trying to capture the essence of what Coach Forner created back in the day by turning a bottom-of-the-conference track team into a State Power in D3, while also building the support, toughness, longevity, and success Coach Vlcek has built in the wrestling program. The sports are similar in that they both have the team and individual aspects.
There was a time in this school, while football was still a perennial power and before wrestling established its current dominance, that the track program was arguably the strongest and most popular sport in the school (100 athletes out of 400 total students were running track). Winning is contagious. Having fun is contagious!
“I’d like to get back to that, because track is the one sport that can make all your other sports better,” Coltre explains. “We train to make you a better, more mentally strong athlete. Who wouldn’t want to buy into that?! The problem we see today is athletes becoming too specialized and only concentrating on one sport in a tunnel vision–type approach. That’s not what creates the best possible athlete. Using different muscle groups and exposing yourself to different physical and mental challenges are what create the best athletes. You also see more injuries in single-sport specialized athletes.
The cool thing about track is that the best athletes win, whether it be by speed or distance. All-State is not voted on by media or coaches; these accomplishments are decided on the track in competition. If your son or daughter is looking for a new challenge that can be both rewarding and fun, give track a try! Some of my best memories from high school were when I was on the track team. People always ask me what my favorite sport was growing up, and the answer I always give is the current in-season sport was my favorite! I was 100% invested in football during football. I was 100% invested in basketball during basketball. And when the spring rolled around I was 100% invested in track. You can accomplish a lot if you are 100% invested in the current season. I have friends that didn’t run track until they were upperclassmen and they regretted not picking it up sooner. Track is a great sport; it’s not all about running. You can excel in many different ways.”
These are some of the challenges new Coach Coltre has ahead. He has also coached on the varsity football and basketball staffs the last six years, so he knows the athletes who exist in this school. “I’m excited to get this season started!” he enthused. “If you can get the kids to buy into working hard, the sky is the limit. There is plenty of talent left in this school to make some noise in this state and turn the tide.”
If you want to help support this mission, the track team is doing a can and bottle drive this Saturday, March 16, from 9am to noon at the Gazebo as they look to upgrade their uniforms, warmups, and equipment to compete with the best teams in the state. Go, Dutch!
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