The Hudson Indoor Track and Field team is one to look out for this year. They are the perfect example of teamwork, dedication and success. This Indoor Track and Field season, the plethora of athletes on the team hope to find success on the state level. The team features many athletes who have dominated in their respective event in seasons prior, and they hope to show the state that the same is going to happen this year.
Leading the Explorers through this year’s season are Jeffrey Hildebrand, Hunter Heaton, Leo Doty, Sarah Grace Ritter, Pam Saucier and Mark McConnell. These coaches have pushed the Explorerathletes to their limits into previously unattainable levels of endurance, speed and mental toughness. Hildebrand is a veteran coach, having coached the team for some time, who focuses on short distances and hurdles, while Heaton is a relatively new coach focusing on long-distance events. The team participates in the Northeast Ohio Conference- Valley, which is comprised of lots of competition. That competition includes a formidable Twinsburg team that the Explorers will try to take down this year. The Explorers team is filled with extremely talented runners and athletes, some of whom were happy to give their thoughts and hopes for the upcoming season.
Derek Huminsky is a part of the Indoor Track and Field team, competing in the 400-meter dash, as well as the 800-meter dash. Huminsky is a senior this year and is hoping to lead the team to first-place finishes in his respective events. Huminsky does all he can to help the team and himself grow. Whether it is playing soccer in the fall to stay conditioned for the season, or weightlifting in the off-season to get stronger for the upcoming season, “I want to do whatever I can do to train for this season, I want to help not just myself evolve, but my team as well.” Huminsky is looking forward to this indoor track season, and says what he is looking forward to most is, “Getting to know the team better as a whole, and being able to have fun with my friends.” One of Huminsky’s best events is the infamous 4×2 relay. Huminsky, along with Reece Bacak, Tyler Travis and Akito Gogusoglu set the school record for this event in 2022 with a time of 1:28.80, smashing the previous school record by almost two seconds. Huminsky has produced incredible times at both the 400-meter and the 800-meter as well, but prefers the 800 more; however, Huminsky has the third fastest time in school history in the 400-meter with a time of 51.70 seconds. Huminsky prefers the 800-meter more since, “I just feel like the 400-meter dash is one of the hardest and craziest events because it’s basically an all-out sprint for the entire lap.”
Huminsky isn’t the only one who feels that way about the 400-meter. Ellie Gallagher is a senior at Hudson High School who is looking forward to having her most successful season yet. She agrees with Huminsky, but for a different reason. “I like to compete in that race because the other people in that race are the fastest people in the building,” Gallagher shares. Gallagher competes in the 60-meter hurdles, 400-meter dash and the long jump for the Hudson Indoor Track team. Ellie competed in the 400 her sophomore year and is glad that she hasn’t needed to race in that event for some time now. Her current main events are the 60-meter hurdles and the long jump, and it’s safe to say she doesn’t like her feet on the ground. Gallagher trained all summer to get faster and jump farther. She says her favorite part of the season is “Hanging out with my friends and bonding with all of my teammates.” Gallagher has been competing in cross country as well as working out in the gym to get ready for the season. Gallagher hopes to break a school record this year and shatter her personal bests. When faced with the adversity of having to carry toddlers on her back for a mile, Gallagher is confident that she should at least carry two toddlers a mile to the finish line without falling or stopping. Gallagher is looking forward to coaching her teammates and bettering herself this season.
One of the athletes she might have the chance to coach is Hudson Junior Brooke Iuston. Iuston competes in the 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 4×100-meter relay and 4×200-meter relay. Iuston has experienced massive success already with her relay team’s school record in the 4×200 where she and her team own the first and third fastest times in school history with times of 1:44.12 and 1:46.62. “Competing with my friends is the best experience ever, and especially when you break a school record with them, it brings everyone closer together,” Iuston comments. Iuston and her team also have the fourth fastest time in school history for the 4×1 with a time of 50.79 seconds. Iuston started running in first grade and never looked back, always finding ways to improve times and get faster. Iuston’s favorite memory from last season is qualifying for the state championship in the 4×200.
The Hudson Indoor Track and Field team is one of the best and most competitive teams to come up against. With elite athletes, great leaders and dedicated coaches, the team can only improve throughout the next few years. Even with stunning athletes like Derek Huminsky and Ellie Gallagher graduating next year, they have underclassmen like Brooke Iuston to take the reins and lead the Hudson Indoor Track and Field team to the finish line.
