Young talent has THS Girls Track and Field filled to the brim
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TAYLORVILLE — Front row: Madelyn McMillon, Whitney Rodgers, Kyndra Durbin, Alyssa Andreatta, Hallie Smith, Sophia Ward
Middle row: Kyndall Hoy, Elli Skultety, Emilia Vista, Brooke Heimsness, Macy Wagahoft, Ava Odam, Lyla Repscher, Aulona Letniku
Back row: Lydia Heberling, Sydnie Lowis, Kim Howard, Mylie Corso, Anna Goodman, Ella Goodman, Liliella Vail
Not pictured: Grayce Goodroe, Alyse Tomasello, Sydnie Vocks
Lucas Domonousky Breeze-Courier Photo
Lucas Domonousky
Breeze-Courier Sports Editor
TAYLORVILLE — The Taylorville High School girls track team is stacked with youth, leadership and plenty of arms and legs. Lead by Head Coach Jacob Koniak he brings enthusiasm and enjoyment to the sport. Koniak has a total 12 year of experience under his belt as he was the Rochester Boys Track and Field Head Coach for four years, Assistant under Steve Keller and now taking on his second year as the Girls Track and Field Head Coach. Joining him as Assistant Coach is Claire Althoff.
“Great to have a girl on the staff.” said Koniak “She’s just really positive and a great role model to have around the girls.”
Senior Kim Howard will be looked at by her team as the go-to leader. Howard is the only senior on the squad and will be given the most responsibility out of anyone on the team.
“She’s a great leader. The Head Coach said “She does a great job of getting everyone organized, being the biggest cheerleader and getting each player where they need to be.”
The Taylorville girls pride themselves on the visibility and immense depth they bring to every practice and meet. They have a young core of twenty-one underclassman out of the twenty-four total girls on the team.
“We are doing a lot of teaching and a lot of learning.” Koniak said “It’s exciting but it’s a big teaching year too.”
The biggest goal the team has set is not about first place finishes or winning so many invites.
“Our biggest goal is just growth. Everyday be better than you were yesterday.” Koniak stated proudly. “When you’ve got a young team like that it’s really a big thing.”
The THS girls track and field team has set aside conference championships and visions of the post season for now. The staff and players are fully committed to developing solid foundation understanding they’ve got a long way to go.
“We’re looking to get better every single day and as we get older we will see where those goals come.”
This is the most participants the program has seen in a long time. There are so many, in fact, that the High School almost didn’t have enough jerseys.
“It’s good to see the program going.” Coach Koniak said “When you fill every jersey, as a Coach, that’s exciting.”
