By Kayla Womack

Walled Lake Central’s women runners are spiking up as they prepare for the 2014 outdoor track season.  Despite the season being months away, the girls are already conditioning their bodies and one team member, junior Amy Vangieson, is even competing in the AAU’s winter indoor track season.

The off-season training mostly consists of weight training and leg exercises. The athletes also do short distance speed training to build up more leg speed.

“My coach has me doing bench presses, and 200 meter sprints majority of the week,” said Vangieson.

Vangieson, a varsity sprinter and field eventer, competes in nearby meets and has been working out every day after school with the guys’ team since November 4.

“We use indoor to train for outdoor. The kids participate in local indoor meets to get a time or throw down,” said Coach Ned Stoikovich.

Vangieson has also been using this time to condition her body and tone up her muscles.

“I’m doing indoor pole vault for the first time, the 60 hurdles, and possibly the 200 meter dash,” she said.

The rest of the team is small in number, but they all work hard to bring home big titles. Last season, the girls made outstanding accomplishments. “We might be small but we are mighty,” Girls’ Head Coach Jeff Penrod announced as his small team of seven won the whole Kensington Lakes Athletic Association (KLAA) conference meet last season before going on to and placed high in big invitational and regional meets.

The little team placed third overall in the Regional meet, and second in the Oxford invitational. Seven girls qualified for the 2013 outdoor State meet in several events. The girls’ four by two team placed eighth on the medal stand;  alumna Indi Jackson placed second in shot put; alumna Gabrielle Edwards placed sixth in the 200 meter dash; and alumna Chantel Edwards placed sixth place in the 100 meter dash.

Unfortunately the seven varsity girls mostly consisted of graduating seniors, leaving Jasmine Brown, Vangieson, and Kayla Womack left. These three girls are not giving up and still believe that they will do great things this upcoming season.