Players and coaches alike are excited to get back into the cleat-tying, water bottle-filling routine as the 2013 track season begins.

“[I’m excited to be] seeing these guys run and how much we have improved this year as a team,” Justin Zhang (‘13) a track captain, said.

“Our biggest competitor this year is probably Mountain View High School,” he said. “we beat them last year but we lost a few key players like EJ Floreal (‘12) and Tremaine Kirkman (‘12), so it will be more of a challenge this year.”

Other track members will be focusing on improving their own times rather than with other schools this season.

“I’m looking forward to coming back and beating my personal records that I made last year,” Camden Santo (‘13) said.

Some athletes also look forward to the social aspect track brings.

“I am looking forward to making new friends and running the 800 [meter event],” Angela Pomeroy (‘14) said.

There are a few changes that will be implemented this season.

“We have a new distance coach this year,” Simon Fox (‘13) said.

The new coach, Kelsey Felley, is a Gunn-alum and recent San Francisco State graduate. She specializes in girls and boys distance running.

“I just want to see everybody improve and have fun,” Felley said. “People think track is all about running circles around a track, but I want to show people that it’s fun.”

The first meet will take place at 3:15 on March 7th at Saratoga High School.

“I think that we have a very good chance of winning this meet,” Zhang said. “But we should not let our guard down.”

“I am excited; if we listen to our bodies and eat and sleep well, we should be able to do great this season,” he said.