ALBERTON – As the spring sports season gears up, the Alberton Panthers have begun working to prepare one of their largest track and field teams for competition.

As of Thursday, March 20, the team had approximately 21 members signed up. According to Head Coach Rachael Clevenger, the school has not had a team this size for five years. She does not expect to have any more students sign up, though she said there could be some who drop out.

“Some of them don’t know what they’re going to do yet,” Clevenger said. “So that’s kind of what we’re doing…is trying things out.”

Thursday’s practice was the first day the kids got to work on some of the skills used during a meet. She said many of them were a little out of shape and were hurting from the practice sessions.

“That’s not real fun,” Clevenger said. “They’re not having a good time doing any of the running stuff, but we’ll see.”

She said the goal of the practices was to try things out and see how the kids liked the sport. While some of the participants did varsity, elementary or junior high track and field in the past, many of them had never been exposed to the sport before.

They may have been sore from the workouts, but most of the kids seemed to have a good time. Alberton’s gym was nothing but smiles as everyone worked to learn the new skills or refresh muscle memory.

All four years of high school are represented in the team this year. The seniors have the most numbers. According to Clevenger, nine of the athletes have returned from last year’s team. She said the team was fairly inexperienced with the sport and they would be learning it as the season progressed.

“We’re kind of at all different levels right now,” Clevenger said of the team’s experience.

Last year, four members of the team placed at the State Championship and all four returned to the team this year. Clevenger said she hopes they will make it there again and help the rest of the team make it there as well.

“If we have anyone else [place], that would just be absolutely wonderful,” Clevenger said. “So, they’re all eager to get back.”

Clevenger said track and field was an especially interesting game because it was always new. She could not say who would be going out to participate in any of the events.

Clevenger said she usually takes the first meet as a practice round. Because most of the teams are not fully prepared for competition, she uses the meet as ground zero to work from and improve for the rest of the season.

“We’re usually not ready to compete, especially with this many young kids that have never done it,” Clevenger said. “I just tell them we’ll go out and it gives us a starting spot.”

Alberton will co-host one meet this season with Drummond.

Clevenger is a veteran of high school athletics, but especially track and field. She has coached the co-ed team for nine years.