A new year means a new season for the McIntosh track and field team. After winning regionals last year, the Chiefs managed to secure themselves 10th place at the state tournament. Head coach Adam Daigler has created a plan to win regionals again this year.

“[I plan to] be consistent and push the kids, and also get each athlete to reach their full potential and make sure they have a good experience and have fun,” Daigler said.

The athletes have also created goals for this year. Sophomore distance runner Kayla Lempka wants to improve her time from last year.

“I want to get faster, and I want to beat my 800 time from last year,” Lempka said.

There are also some athletes who are new to the team this year, but aren’t new to the sport. Freshman Isabel John-Wilson was a thrower during her seventh and eighth grade year and she also has goals for this year.

“I chose to do track this year because I thought pole vaulting looked really cool, and I did throwing for seventh and eighth grade. [This year,] I want to get good enough to beat other people, or I want to go over my personal record from last year,” John-Wilson said.

Lempka has also noticed parts of the field and the team that are different from last year.

“The track is different, and the bathrooms are outside, and there’s a bunch of new freshmen, which makes the team different, and all of the seniors are gone, which is sad,” Lempka said.

The first track meet of the season will be today at 4:30 at McIntosh against East Coweta and Harris County. Field events include pole vault, shot put and discus. The track events will be the 200 meter, the 1600 meter, the 100 meter and the 400 meter, in that order.