Springing into action: The Old Rochester track team young, but hungry
Ryan Calderone reaches for his baton exchange. Photos by Mari Huglin 
The team gathers to listen to the workout plan for the day. 
On the exchange Benji Baptiste hands the baton to Malik Washburn.
Ella Milhench loosens up prior to working out.
The sprinters and hurdlers ready for their relay workout.
Seb Harrigan handing off to Ryan Calderone.
Sprinter Henry Berry pushing through a track workout. 
Henry Berry and Seb Harrigan on the exchange.
Gavin Williams runs towards his teammates in the relay. 
Henry Berry and Lyla Hotte sprint down the track. 
Genevieve Hebert working on her sprint mechanics.
Benji Baptiste finishing a sprint. 
Stefan St Louis finishing his final 200 meter.
Brady Maguire setting up and working on his shot put technique.
Brady Maguire throws the shot put.
Ryan Calderone reaches for his baton exchange. Photos by Mari Huglin
The team gathers to listen to the workout plan for the day.
On the exchange Benji Baptiste hands the baton to Malik Washburn.
Ella Milhench loosens up prior to working out.
The sprinters and hurdlers ready for their relay workout.
Seb Harrigan handing off to Ryan Calderone.
Sprinter Henry Berry pushing through a track workout.
Henry Berry and Seb Harrigan on the exchange.
Gavin Williams runs towards his teammates in the relay.
Henry Berry and Lyla Hotte sprint down the track.
Genevieve Hebert working on her sprint mechanics.
Benji Baptiste finishing a sprint.
Stefan St Louis finishing his final 200 meter.
Brady Maguire setting up and working on his shot put technique.
Brady Maguire throws the shot put.
MATTAPOISETT — With spring in full swing, Old Rochester track and field athletes are ready to hit the ground running.
Boys coach Sean Medeiros and girls coach Victoria Melahouris for the Old Rochester track team are hopeful for the upcoming season.. The coaches said the current team has a young make up, but have talented seniors and competitive newbies.
“They are new but they come with a lot of talent and they're rugged— but they're hungry for competition,” Melahouris said.
On the technical side, Medeiros said the girls team is good at mid-distance running while the boys are doing well in the hurdles. Both coaches said the team is great at creating a welcoming, supportive environment similar to a family.
“This is the one environment I've always felt like everyone feels happy and people feel like ‘I'm having a tough day but I have my peers that are going to build me up’,” Melahouris said.
The senior girls captains Ella Milhench, Madelyn Haverty and Ellie Correia said they were excited for their final season. The trio said that one of the strongest parts of the team is how inclusive it is.
“It's just so important that we can have a space where we all come together for one shared thing that we all love to do,” Correia said.
Haverty said she hopes to create a supportive environment on the team for her fellow athletes.
“Track wouldn’t be track without your teammates,” she said. “I think a big part of it is who's supporting you at the finish line.”
Correia agreed saying that many parts of it can seem very individualized but that coming together is what is important.
The girls said their favorite part of being on the team is grabbing dinners together and the bus rides to and from meets. Getting to know each other has been a highlight of the seasons.
“It's just so fun just being around these kids that you wouldn't have known if you didn't try track,” Milhench said.
The senior boys captains Brendan Foster, Malik Washburn and Noah Thorell said their main goal is to make it to the post season.
Thorell said the team is good at supporting each other even through challenging times.
“I think that we're very together and we all have good relationships with each other,” Thorell said. “We all want to see each other succeed.”
Creating a competitive environment on the team is something Washburn said he knows will make the team thrive.
“We have a lot of fast guys on the team and we use that to push each other,” Washburn said.
The coaches said their biggest competition will be the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School and Somerset Berkley Regional High School.
Meideros said he hopes the team can keep supporting each other and aims to continue to be healthy as the season progresses.
“Because we're young and we actually have a lot of people that are new to track it's just getting them to improve week to week,” Medeiros said.
