Three new coaches have joined North’s girls track team this year, with Sara Leyden, Mindy Thompson and Trevor Gillum all coaching track for their first time ever.
“My daughter is actually a freshman here,” said Thompson. “And last year when I met the track coach on Future Northstar Night, we got to talking, and he heard I had run the hurdles and was in track, and so he asked if I would want to help out with track.”
Thompson, who was a dedicated track athlete in school, presently works as a nurse at Delnor Hospital.
“I was in track in middle school, high school and all the way through college [at Elmhurst],” Thompson said. “I’m a nurse [at Delnor], so I work with patients in cardio rehab, and I have my personal trainer certificate.”
Leyden was trained by longtime track coach Anthony Enright when she was a track athlete.
“Coach Enright coached me when I was in high school track and cross country, and reached out for help last year,” Leyden said. “I volunteered a couple times last year, and then he reached out this year for more help.”
Gillum had been working as a private fitness coach for almost a decade when he came to North to coach track.
“I was a private strength and conditioning coach for the past nine years with a heavy focus on speed,” said Gillum. “I’ve always wanted to coach track since I started understanding the process of coaching speed. I started teaching at a private facility this past year, and I was looking for a position anywhere that was available. I was lucky enough the position was available at the time.”
The coaches are presently making an effort to help the girls consistently improve their performances over the course of the competitive season.
“My expectations this season is to improve from last year,” Gillum said. “There should never be a season where a runner becomes slower. I have been recording speeds during practices since the beginning of the season and everyone since day one has gotten faster. “
Since there is a focus on both teamwork and individual success in track, the coaches also try to make an effort to develop a connection between the two.
“The thing about track is that it’s an individual and a team sport,” said Leyden. “So I think that it’s a combination of both personal goals and team goals you try to achieve. You get what you put in, so you need a lot of dedication and hard work.”
As the track season begins, the coaches hope to bring the best out of the girls in competition.
“[We’re] just reminding our athletes to never give up,” said Thompson. “To keep trying and work hard and they’ll see the results.”
