In the News... Track team hitting on all cylinders

By Becky Pallack

Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 04.24.2009

Green Fields Country Day School has the little track team that could.

With just three girls and three boys on the two-year-old team, the Griffins surprise a lot of big-school teams and are aiming for the 1A South Region title.

Four of the athletes have qualified for state in a total of 10 events. The girls have the top three places in the 1A high jump.

Michelle Spector

The senior will be the first Green Fields student to letter in four sports in one year.

On learning from You- Tube: "Leon (Wells) and I watched a ton of long-jump and triple-jump videos, the world-record ones. ... It kind of got us pumped. We also watched high jump. If you want to watch a crazy video, the high-jump world record is insane."

On qualifying for state after one month of track: "Turns out I can do more than I ever thought. ... At state, I'd like to jump my personal best and hopefully get some medals."

Thomas Estruth

The junior is a state junior counselor for the DeMolay community service club.

On his team: "They're all going to state in something and that's what driving me, personally, because I want to be right there with them."

On trying new events: Coach Tom Danehy "throws me into events that I'm not even signed up for, haven't even practiced for. He wants me to try out for shot put today when I'm going out against those guys and I have no muscle at all. (laughs)"

Jessica Van Zijll

The sophomore was Southern Arizona's top scorer in basketball.

On jumping: On jumping: "High jump has always been my main thing and that's what I focus on, but I'm liking long jump and I want to focus on that a little more."

On math: Danehy "thinks I'm really good at math, so ... he got me a letterman's jacket with 'Mathletes' on it and my name. So that's kind of our joke."

Zoe Young

The junior plans to donate his long hair to Locks of Love.

On learning to jump: "I still don't have the technique down, so I'm watching Leon and listening to advice from coaches. It's different from running. There's a little more to it."

On state: "I want to qualify for state by time before regionals. I'm getting close: one-tenth of a second off from qualifying in the 100-meter dash."

Delaney Gould

The junior placed sixth in the state in discus last year by throwing 20 feet farther than she had all year.

On trying high jump: "One day our jumper wasn't at practice, so my coach said, 'Hey do this.' I was like, 'Here we go. I've seen her do it a couple of times: You lift your knee up, jump over it, kick your legs.' I got kind of decent at it at that one practice. He signed me up for the next meet and I ended up getting second place."

On her team: "I think we surprise a lot of people. ... It's not really a team sport but it gives everyone a chance to work to their full potential."

Leon Wells

The junior placed fourth in long jump at state last year.

On his team: "Today coming in, people were asking, 'That all you got?' Five people walked in and we're like 'Yeah' and they're like, 'Well you better represent' and we have to and we do. We come to these 4- and 5-A school meets and we place in basically everything. When we go to the 1A meets, everyone's winning all of their events. ... We have a big impact."

On teaching Spector the long jump: "I love watching her excel at something. Of course, there's a little bit of jealousy. She comes in and she does it flawless her first time. Now she's battling for first place in the state. ... There's an inside joke about how she's going to jump 20 feet in state and she's holding back."