Runners! On your marks! Get set! Go!

Track and field season is approaching fast but are the runners and coaches ready to face- off the many teams out there?
South East Track and Field season starts in February 15, 2010, but are the runners ready? “The practices are long and hard but along the way they will not get any easier,” agreed both South East High School Track and Field Coaches, David Loucel and Jairo Ramirez. This year, practice for athletes started November 30, 2009. The coaches want to make sure that this season turns out better than last year for all runners. They are preparing the runners earlier to increase their chance of winning the league.
Currently the team doesn’t have many runners, but as the season starts they hope to see
more runners out there. Coach Ramirez knows that this will be a good year for all those
individuals that are practicing hard both individually and as a team. He is sure that he will see
many improvements in the new runners as well as the returning runners. Even though the team is looking good so far in the eyes of Coach Loucel, he says, “they are not ready to compete yet, they need more practice but they will get there”. He believes that this will be a fun season and all the runners will have a great time.
Mirella Parra, a sophomore at South East High School, believes that this season will be one of her best even though she said “I’m excited but at the same time I feel very nervous”. She knows that as one of the best girls on the team, she will have to run with poise, but it is not going to be easy. Parra doesn’t think that she is prepared for competition. She feels she needs a lot more practice. These runners have a shot at being good but, their it is all in their state of
mind.
According to a Times Magazine article Usain Bolt by Sean Gregory, running is the rawest
form of athleticism: No piece of equipment can control your fate; no teammate can lift you up or slow you down. Track and field is a sport in which there is more than one event.
The running events are split between long distance and short distance. The long distance can consist of two laps and can go up to two miles. Short distance can be a lap or less.
There are also hurdles for both long and short distance. Long distance hurdles are 300 meters; this is 100 meters less of a lap. Short distance hurdles are 100 meters long which is about a straight part of the track. Field events consist of long jump, triple jump, pole vault, high jump and shot-put.
Parra said, “I know its tough but at the end it will pay off”. This year she expects to
run the 800 meter race which is 2 laps and the 4x4 relay race. The 4x4 relay race is a team race which is a lap for each rotating person. The way it set up, is that the second fastest person startsthe race. Once finished, they pass on the baton to the third fastest person, then to the slowest person. Finally, the fastest person runs. The last person is the anchor which is the person who either wins or loses the race. In this sport, you practice as a team but compete as an individual.
Both Coach Ramirez and Coach Loucel said, “We think all SEHS students should come out
to support the school’s track team because the runners represent the school and they need all the support they can get.” The runners have a long sturdy way ahead of them, but with lots of hard work, they can accomplish it all.

A Very Merry Christmas

Family is always first especially for Diego Munoz. He talked about how his Christmas was awesome especially because his family was alongside of him.
Diego Munoz a freshman at South East High said that his christmas was awesome.He spent his Christmas at his grandma's house in Huntington Park.Munoz ate really delicious tamales and drank champurrado.Munoz also said that him and his family danced, sang and played.They had a blast."I really enjoyed being with my Family"said
Munoz.He had many presents to open at midnight.At the end of the day said "I was tired"."This is a Christmas I'll never forget" said Munoz.