The Upper Campus’s spring sports season is now underway. Offerings include boys’ volleyball, baseball, track and field, golf, tennis, and equestrian sports.
For track and field, there will be a new coach this year, Coach Nicholas O’Brien.
“The main goal I always have with any team in any year is individual progress,” track head coach Coach O’Brien said, “If you are better than you were yesterday, that’s a win in my book.”
Coach O’Brien started running track in his first year in high school and ran all four years. He then continued to run at the collegiate level. He was an all-state athlete in high school, breaking his college’s 55-meter record and the school’s 4×200-meter relay record.
During his first year of coaching, he trained his boys’ 4×100-meter relay team to place first in the State Championships and win the New England Championships. He has coached 24 All-State, 10 All-New England, and 1 All-American athlete. Many of these athletes went on to compete at the collegiate level, and some received a D1 scholarship.
“I like to go into the season not having expectations. I have the mentality that we do the best we can, end of story,” coach O’Brien said. “It is important also for the athlete to not create expectations, but rather have small attainable goals throughout the season. Small gains turn into big wins.”
However, while the runners are left breathless on the track, the baseball team is set to win the league championship this year.
“I am excited to see how our winter transitions to our spring sports,” baseball head coach Coach Pankratz said. “We have five different teams in our league this year, so there’s gonna be four extra teams with five total teams, full league, all hands on deck. The boys are ready.”
The goal of the baseball team this year is to bring back the league champion title. Last year, the baseball team came short, coming in second place in the league.
“We were one game away last year, and I think with our kids this year, we’ll be able to make a difference this year and take over the league…” coach Pankratz said.