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Norwich’s boys 4x100m relay team with legit shot at DII state title

Norwich’s boys 4x100m relay team with legit shot at states

NORWICH – Four student-athletes, all at different stages of their athletic careers in high school Track and Field. Together, they have formed a formidable force in the ever-exhilarating boys 4x100m relay race.

A brotherhood, the four NHS sprinters have grown together over the 2017 season – maturing and perfecting their craft – in the shape of a record-breaking, state-bound relay team.

That 2017 relay team is made up of freshman David Berger, sophomore Eric Conant, junior Zack Race, and senior Ky’sawn Veale.

“Each runner has their own job. David needs to get out of the blocks in a hurry and not give up any ground. He’s been amazing all year. I don’t think we’ve ever been more than a meter behind after the first curve and some schools have some very fast runners on that first leg. Zack’s job is to get that baton and create a cushion, which he always has. Zack is a silent assassin. He doesn’t say much, but once he gets the stick, it’s over,” said Norwich sprinting coach Phil Curley. “Ky’sawn’s job is to get the baton from Zack to Eric as soon as possible. Ky’Sawn is inquisitive. He wasn’t on the relay last year, so he asks a lot of questions and is constantly looking for assessment to make sure he’s doing things as best as he possibly can. We like the baton in our two fastest kids’ hands (Race and Conant). Then it’s up to Eric to bring it home. There aren’t many kids that can catch Eric from behind, maybe one or two in Section IV. Eric is a workout warrior. No one wants to work as much or as hard as he does. The hardest thing for him is to let his body rest and recover. He wants to keep at it.”

Don’t be mistaken, each runner has played an essential role in what has made Norwich’s 2017 season thus far, a special one.

Currently, the 2017 boys 4x100m relay team bested the school record, setting a new mark at 43.83. That first goal that was reached earlier in the season hasn’t slowed the relay team up – as the team continues the hard meticulous work it takes to perfect a handoff while flying down 100m of track.

“They didn’t appear out of thin air. The (boys) relay was fast last year too. Back-to-back Section IV Class B Champions, so are the girls and they have everyone coming back. Last season was a big learning year. They had to be supervised on every single repetition. This year they are much more knowledgeable. They know what they have to do, the coach just has to tweak things here and there and confirm they’re on point. They do a lot of work independently. They also met weekly over the summer to continue to improve their speed,” said coach Curley.

The hard work, dedication, and sacrifice these student-athletes have made – and continue to make – has set them apart from the majority of DII boys relay teams in New York State.

That fact is apparent when looking at their seeding in the upcoming New York State Championship in Union-Endicott later Friday, June 9, as the squad is ranked sixth in NY State for DII with their school record time of 43.83.

So what is the difference in a year’s time?

“The difference between a good team and a great team is trust. Athletes have to trust their coaching and they have to trust their teammates are going to do their job. Without trust, there is hesitation. Hesitation slows everything down,” said coach Curley. “Blind trust isn’t easy, but after the boys found some success, they became more trusting and thus their times became quicker.”

Trust in each other, trust in their workouts, trust in the long process it takes to make a state appearance. There is many times that one can watch the NHS 4x100 boys relay run – and with a bad handoff comes frustration. However, this 2017 squad has found a way to channel that frustration at moments not onto each other, but back at their workouts – bettering themselves every step of the way.

“I believe we excel in the 4x1 because we put our heart and dedication into it as a team. We give it everything we have to get the perfect hand off. I would have to say the 4x1 is my favorite event because we are all competing together as one and it shows the trust you must have for your teammates to get you the baton,” said Conant. “This being my first time to states is astounding, and I can’t wait to race against the other athletes and face the competition. But that’s only a stepping stone (43.83 school record) to what we will achieve at states.”