The LCA Track & Field team travelled to Pennsylvania to compete in the National Christian School Athletic Association (NCSAA) Mid-Atlantic Regional Junior High and High School Track and Field Championships on May 5th.
We took 13 athletes and were one of 15 schools. Over 600 athletes competed.
Although this blog always has a biased coverage (details on Sarah's day are below), LCA had many great performances. We had 23 PRs (personal records), 12 LCA school records, 4 first place finishes, 2 second place finishes, 3 thirds, 3 fourths, 3 fifths and 1 sixth place finish.
The LCA Girls HS team took 3rd place overall --- with just THREE FRESHMAN girls!
Jamie Duchane was named the HS Girls' Outstanding Athlete. She placed 1st in the 100 meter hurdles, 1st in high jump, 1st in long jump and 2nd in the 200 meters. The only thing that outshines her performance is her exemplary attitude and gracious humility.
The head coach for LCA (aka Dad) thinks that Sarah would make a great heptathlete, but it's hard to convince a tall, curvey, girly blonde that it's good to grunt!
Here is Sarah taking a practice throw on Friday night. She can't compete in the large hoop earrings, but she can use her hair to her advantage for extra momentum!
Shotput never looked so graceful........27' 2" was good enough for 5th place
Sarah placed 2nd in high jump at 4' 6".
Then there was the triple jump.
Coach's intuition was that Sarah would be an incredible triple jumper. She learned this very awkward and technical event just a few weeks before the national meet, but the first time she had the opportunity to practice "in a real pit" was the night before the meet. It only took three jumps and she "was in the pit!" Coach says most people never even make it into the pit their first year.
The triple jump, according to a source I found on the internet (so it must be true) puts more stress on an athlete's body than any other field event and requires incredible strength and timing. It comprises of 4 phases: approach phase, hop phase, step phase and the jump phase.
Sarah jumped over 30 feet --- but scratched on all three of her jumps. :o(
Coach went to bed hours ago, but if Sarah hadn't had the race-day jitters, she probably would have placed in the triple jump too. Disappointing for her, but still a performance to be very proud of.
Back to the golden locks of luck and the discus.
Coach gives some loving, fatherly encouragement while waiting.
It was a good throw!
77' 8"........ almost 15 feet further than second place.
The sweet smile of success.
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