The Valparaiso High School Track Team honored its seniors with a ceremony on the football field during Valpo Relays May 3, 2013.
Due to rain, the meet was cancelled but I met up with the seniors for a group photo. They were a bit wet but still had fun getting together one more time as a team this season.
Seniors being honored in alphabetical order were:
Albert Aring [sprints], Charles Banks [sprints], Taylor Bisacchi [distance], Daniel Boyes [sprints], Aaron Brown [sprints], Zach Buckwalter [sprints], Muyenda Burnett [sprints], Patrick Dalton [distance], Landon Davison [distance], Peter Fink [distance], Mark Halfman [distance], John Halfman [sprints], Jack Hreha [sprints], Alex Jobbe [sprints] Nicholas Kalafatis [sprints], Andrew Kittridge [sprints], Cam Koenig [sprints], Andrew Lyp [distance], Josh Marciniak [sprints], Vincent Milton [sprints], Matt Napiwocki [sprints], Lonnie Pappas [shot/discus], Peyton Reed [distance], Xavier Reed [distance], Pat Reilly [sprints], Paul Runyan [shot/discus], Zack Schwartz [distance], Tyler Smaga [sprints], Zach Steiner [sprints], Isaac Withrow [sprints], Cody Zander [sprints]
Head Coach Brett Polizotto had some words of wisdom to pass along to the seniors as they look forward to graduation and heading off to college.
“Focus on what you’re doing right now,” he said. “Do not focus on the negative. Don’t dwell on the past because you can’t change it because there isn’t anything you can do today that can change yesterday, and don’t waste energy on what could happen tomorrow.”
“My coaches instilled in me that what ever your situation is, you always get to pick your attitude. I always try to pick the positive. One of my coaches I owe that to is Mike Polite, my track and cross country coach from VHS. I want to instill that in my team as well,” said Polizotto
He added, “I like seeing the growth and development in these guys over the years; it’s what keeps me coming back every year. It’s not just the growth and development in their track events, it’s also in their decision-making skills.”
Senior Pat Dalton said one of the things he is most proud to have accomplished running track at VHS is running a 10:14 in the 2-mile his freshman year, but what he is going to miss most is the team camaraderie.
Dalton said, “I am going to miss my friends that I have made along the way, but I am looking forward to the new friendships I am going to make when I go to college.
Josh Marciniak has loved running hurdles during his time on the team.
“I have loved hurdling the hurdles,” said Marciniak. “I am proud that I finished the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 39.5 against Portage this year, but I am really going to miss the hurdle squad when I graduate.”
Andrew Kittridge ran sprints and hurdles for VHS track but he said what he loved the most was the relaxed atmosphere on the team.
“We have a lot of fun joking around with each other and I am really going to miss that. I am going to miss my friends and my teachers. I’ve made a lot of great memories along the way, one was going to state sophomore year for the hurdles,” said Kittridge. “Going to state was surreal. I had a lot of upperclassmen keeping me calm. I placed 14th overall in state and it was just a great experience.”
Cody Zander will be heading off to the United States Army on July 30, 2013; heading to Ft. Benning, Georgia for basic training.
Zander explained, “I am going to miss the whole team; everyone is like a big family, we’re friends with everyone. I’ve had fun running track here. I am proud that the relay team I was on broke the DMR {Distance Medley Relay} my sophomore year and running the 400 has been my passion, but I learned a lot too: teamwork, leadership, getting better at what you love and pushing yourself to your limit. All these things are things I plan to utilize when I go into the U.S. Army.”
He continued, “Coach Polizotto has helped me tremendously and I have learned a lot from his leadership. I love my team and I love my country,” said Zander.
Congratulations to all seniors on the Valparaiso High School Track Team!