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From left: Jillian Edwards, Talia Tremblay and Julia Coyle will help guide the Woodstock Academy girls’ indoor track team. Photo by Josh Welch/Woodstock Academy.
Personal improvement and development. While also maintaining a good team chemistry and creating bonds with younger athletes.
It’s what Woodstock Academy’s Julia Coyle said is special to her about indoor track as she embarks on her senior year in the sport.
It takes a little adjustment as the meets are long, generally lasting the entire day. There is only one in a week and it’s usually on the weekend.
And the girls’ indoor track team has some athletes to show off.
Coyle is the distance runner of the group of about 30 student-athletes out for coach Josh Welch.
But he thinks they will do well as they do have a host of gifted athletes.
Junior Juliet Allard is a “phenomenal 300-meter performer”, according to Welch, who has the ability to shine in other areas.
Coyle is a solid mile performer whom Welch thinks will be aided by some speed and strength workouts over the indoor track season. He thinks the senior can drop down into, at least, the low 5:20’s from a best of 5:36 last season.
It will take work but Coyle is looking forward to it.
Welch also thinks sophomore Olivia Tracy will be a valuable contributor in the mile while senior Talia Tremblay will be a solid mid-distance runner along with sophomore Emma Weitknecht who is also a good hurdle performer.
Also returning is senior high jumper Jillian Edwards.
As far as the competitions, there are really only a few that truly matter other than individually vying for league or state seeding.
The ECC Class M state championships, and CIAC State Open.
For that reason, Welch follows a different philosophy than he does for outdoor track.
The Centaurs opened the season on Saturday with one of those lengthy, non-scoring, ECC meets.
Allard finished first and qualified for States in the 300-meter, coming across the line in 43.88 seconds. She also joined Tremblay, Weitknecht and Ella Lidonde in winning the 4x180m relay.
Coyle also qualified for States as she placed second in the 1600m in 5 minutes, 45 seconds.
Avery Plouffe, in her first-ever indoor track meet, placed fourth in the shotput and qualified for States with a throw of 29-feet, 4-inches. Tremblay also placed fifth in the 600m.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
.