The Seahawks indoor track teams are already hard at work gearing up for the season ahead. This is the second year the Seahawks have fielded indoor track teams since 2008.

Perhaps more exciting than the sport’s resurrection is its growth after just a year. While last year's participation hovered around 10 athletes, this year's roster exceeds 20. Coach Nick Scott said most participation last year came from cross-country athletes looking to extend their running season, but this year brings variety.

“The last couple of years as enrollment has shrunk and offerings for spring sports have increased, our participation rate in track has gone down. That’s why I'm very excited with the amount of kids that came out with enthusiasm and excitement for the upcoming season,” said Scott.

Returning athletes include Nathan Chatterton, Fox Elder, Graham Harris, Will Perkins and Ryan Russell. Freshmen joining are Grace Campbell, Ryan Clark, Conner Dover, Peter and Paul Holbrook, Gryffin Kristan, Alec Murphy, James Reynolds and Caden Royal.

Four athletes will be doubling up on sports this season with Graham Harris continuing to swim and Lucas Hardwick, Gryffin and Rowan Kristan continuing with basketball. Four seniors – Perkins, Kristan, Quinn Ranta and Jordan Pait – will be competing this year, so Scott expects a solid returning squad next year with the nine freshmen, four sophomores and seven juniors.

“I'm the only official coach during the season … but Caitlyn Shepherd volunteers every day, Maeve Katcavage comes almost every day and Josh Higgins comes once a week to work with throwers. It would be really hard to pull it off without those guys,” said Scott.

The teams will be competing in the Western Maine Conference because the Mountain Valley Conference does not have indoor track, but the Seahawks cannot compete at the conference championship. As far as team success goes, Scott said there are only two classes for indoor track – Class A and Class B – so the Seahawks probably are not looking to win a state championship. “… But there are some individuals who could do very well and place at states … Will Perkins should do very well in the distance events and I think Quinn Ranta will do very well in the hurdles and triple jump as well. And a lot of freshmen are throwing …”

Many of the events in indoor track are like outdoor track but scaled down. Instead of the 100m dash and 100m hurdles, both events are 55 meters. There are no 300m hurdles, race-walking, discus or javelin events; however, there are still the 200m and 400m dashes, 800m run, one and two-mile runs, 4x200m and 4x800m relays, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault and shot put.

“I think it's a great primer for outdoor track. There's a lot of freshmen who joined and that is fantastic … and for some people, this is their first experience with track … So, this is really encouraging and we're very happy about it,” said Scott.

The Seahawks will kick the season into full gear for their first meet at noon Dec. 28 at the University of Southern Maine relay invitational.