Track athletes use out-of-state option
Returning for a fifth season was a ‘fairly easy’ decision for Stamford native
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on Connecticut high school sports and the current indoor track season is no exception.
Heading into the season, CIAC officials determined it would consist of only team practices in January and February and there would only be a limited competitive dual meet season in March, which is currently underway through March 27.
For many of the state’s elite high school track athletes the decision to only hold practices in January and February was a disappointment. For those who had the time and could afford it, they chose another option — competing in out-of-state track meets held at sites like The Armory in New York and as far away as the Virginia Showcase meet.
Hillhouse athletes Leah Moore and her brother Gary Moore Jr., Tess Stapleton of Fairfield Ludlowe and brothers Gavin Sherry and Callum Sherry of Conard are among those who have competed or are planning to compete in an outof-state experience to improve their development.
“I was disappointed not to be able to compete in Connecticut until March, especially because there are a lot of kids in Connecticut who would have liked to compete in January and February but couldn’t,” said Leah Moore, one of the state’s elite shot put athletes who has committed to Kentucky. “For me, personally, being able to compete out of state has helped keep me in a competitive mind set at all times.
“We have seen some really tough competition outside of Connecticut because of the depth of talent. But there is always very good talent inside Connecticut, too, and it especially gets to be tough in the state meets.”
The CIAC’s abbreviated version of the indoor track season has impacted Gary Moore Jr. as well.
“Early on, I wasn’t able to train consistently as usual because if the weather outside was too bad, I missed days of training becsuse we weren’t able to go inside,” Gary Moore Jr. said. “Being able to compete out of state has been a blessing because it allows me to still continue to improve on my marks. Without those opportunities I would only have my numbers from sophomore year to show recruiters, which is no where close to where I am now.
“Traveling aaround the country more than usual has allowed me to compete against the best of the best, pushing me to throw further distances. Overall, competing out of state has been a positive experience, giving me the chance to show my improvement to the world. I have thrown personal bests in all of my events, which wouldn’t have happened without these opportunities.”
Stapleton, who excels in the hurdles and long jump and has committed to Stanford, has also been disappointed with the Connecticut season.
“I am grateful for the opportunities I have received to compete at meets out of state, but it definitely comes with challenges that inhibit the amount I can compete,” Stapleton said. “In November, I was lucky to be able to attend four meets at The Armory in New York. But after that shut down (it is being used as a vaccination center) the main meets happening have been in Virginia, Ohio, and Chicago.
“I haven’t been able to attend a lot of those meets since they are long trips from home. I am used to competing every single weekend for around three months (normal Connecticut season). So only having competed a handful of times has definitely presented its challenges for my training, as well as the times and distances I am putting out.”
With no indoor meets available in the Northeast, Gary Moore Jr., Leah Moore and Stapleton said there has been a certain amount of stress in traveling to out of state to meets and not being able to compete at home. While the out-of-state experience has been positive when it comes to development, there is some level of stress to perform well when it comes to their family and coaches to make that long travel worthwhile.
“Without a doubt these meets have been a very different experience,” Fairfield
Ludlowe coach Justin Tomczyk said. “But competition always has benefit, especially for an athlete preparing for a collegiate D-I track career at Stanford. Given that the meets were managed with safety, and COVID-19 protocols in mind, they were absolutely a quality alternative to not competing.
“With Tess heading off to Stanford next Fall it was important for her to continue to be able to gain competition opportunity and experience. A meet like the Virginia Showcase is a “big stage” and that’s the kind of exposure you need to offer to a high caliber athlete.”
Tomczyk said the highlevel of competition was there at the out-of-state meets. But there is no replacing the benefit of competing in weekly meets at home.
“A normal Connecticut indoor track and field season has weekly meets, a variety of invitational options, and a clear practice and training routine,” Tomczyk said. “You can’t replace that. Most importantly, I’ve been absolutely amazed at the work ethic of athletes like Tess. To have found a way to stay motivated, to train safely during the pandemic, and to still maintain that competitive fire. That’s incredible and it says a lot about character.”
Gavin Sherry, Callum Sherry and teammate Tyler Remigino, who are also cross country standouts, have been training to compete at the NSAF Meet of Champions at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the end of March.
“With the very limited scope of indoor track and field in Connecticut, athletes were left to their own devices to compete in meets outside of Connecticut that fits within their personal safety guidelines and academic schedules,” said Conard coach Ron Knapp, who added practices were limited or moved to neighboring streets in February when the outdoor track was covered with snow.
“With those premises in mind, our top three distance runners (Remigino and Sherry brothers) are on a training program for competition at the NSAF Meet of Champions.”
Gavin Sherry set the state record at the CIAC State Open when he won the 3200 in 8:54.47 last year.
Leah Moore said the out of state competition has been a positive experience.
“It has been a great experience for me to always be going against the best in the country almost every week at the places we travel to,” Leah Moore said. “I always feel the energy of high-level competition, which is good to prepare me for the future when I am in college.”
It had been 361 days since the last time the UConn Huskies played football.
But the extended offseason finally ended on Tuesday as UConn held its first practice of the 2021 spring season.
“It was just exciting because this offseason every single one of the players on this team has grown physically and mentally, so just to be able to test our ability down the field and just go out there and have fun,” senior linebacker Omar Fortt said during Wednesday’s media availability. “It was just very relieving to go out there and play ball.”
The Huskies geared up in helmets and played 11 on 11 football with a spring roster featuring seven early enrollees from UConn’s December signing day, including its two Connecticut natives — Tyler Phommachanh (Avon Old Farms) and Josh Tracey (Avon Old Farms).
Since canceling the 2020 fall season due to risks of health and safety, the team has been putting its extra time into the weight room to be well conditioned for spring ball.
“Spring ball is for us to come together as a team and continue to work on the fundamentals and techniques and for our new guys to get their first livefire in the program, it’s a reason why they enroll early,” Director of football strength and conditioning Matt King said.
Not only has the team’s physical developments increased greatly from last season, as King said the team is overall faster than it has been in years past, but
the players’ mental strength has also improved from handling a year without football and simultaneously living through the pandemic when access to strength and conditioning resources was limited.
“Mentally, it’s been a tough year on them regardless, because of the fact that we were in a pandemic, but just seeing them being able to have the mental toughness to be
able go home for an extended period of time and still maintain their strength, their power, and their speed.” King said.
“A lot of guys didn’t have access to a lot of stuff where they lived. Some guys had full gyms, some guys might only have a sandbag or some water jugs or whatnot to work out with. … And coaches were pushing film to their iPads, so these guys became more of a student of the game and that was tough.”
The decision on whether or not to come back for a fifth year was “fairly easy” for Fortt, a St. Luke’s alum from Stamford.
“It was best for me to come back and take my time to be with my brothers,” he said. “As a team standpoint, we have a lot of seniors this year and what that does is it creates something for the younger classmen to look up to. … I think that was the main reason that drove us all back for a fifth year. More so not about the selfish individual standpoint, but just to come together as a team. So, I’m glad I’m here with my brothers celebrating this spring ball, my last spring ball, and going to be my last season.”
From being a mentor to his younger teammates to soaking in all the memories of one last season as Husky, including Friday’s offense vs. defense Tug-AWar
matches, Fortt said the main goal this year is to reach the postseason.
“We’re all here to accomplish a goal and that goal is to get to a bowl game and just have fun and play with our brothers, so I think that’s the bigger picture that we’re looking for,” he said.
While the Huskies won’t practice in pads until Friday, King and Fortt both noted the levels of excitement and competition are at full volume already this spring as coaches have had to remind players to dial it back in preparation for the 2021 season.
“We want to make our identity as the UConn football team is the most physical and the team that has the most tenacity,” Fortt said. “Every time we go on the field it’s a mindset of it’s a competition.”