The track and field team is “suffering from spotty and sporadic attendance,” causing team morale to be “extremely low,” said head coach Charlotte Richardson in an email sent from the coaching staff. As a result, a new policy will enforce much stricter rules on attendance.

According to the email, a core of athletes who have been coming every day have been working hard to ensure a place for the team at state, but the frequent skipping by teammates is affecting their own training negatively. “Seeing other people not going to practice often persuades me not to go as well,” said one athlete. “It seems like this year the whole group mentality is just less motivated and it makes it harder to motivate myself.” Richardson agrees that this year seems particularly hard for athletes. “We have never had this problem before, and [the coaches] have decided it cannot continue,” she said.

The team has undergone other changes this year, with the employment of new head sprinting coach and alum Elvis Akpla and combination of the sprinting, jumping, and hurdling teams. Another athlete admitted not knowing of ever attending a full week of practice. “It’s not as fun as last year,” the athlete said. “I don’t want to quit, but with my own extracurriculars and the new coaches, I’m not really enjoying myself.”

The entire coaching staff met on the night of April 11 and decided on the new attendance policy. Starting April 15, roll was taken by individual event coaches, and any athlete who misses a practice will be asked to leave the team. In addition, if the uniform isn’t returned immediately, the student will be fined $165. Anyone who is late to the team meeting, which begins at 3:45 p.m., will be prohibited from competing in that week’s dual meet.

“I think the policy is good because I’ve noticed a lot of people missing from practice, and I think that’s why we did so poorly at Sunset,” said sophomore long jumper Kate Fin. The team lost to Sunset in both boys and girls at their meet on April 9, and the boys lost to Aloha on April 16. “I do think it’s bit harsh,” Fin said, “but I also think it’s needed.”

Another sophomore, long distance runner Adie Fecker, agrees. “We just need enough people to come so they can participate in the meets,” she said. Fecker added, however, “I don’t think it should be as strict as if you miss one, you’re out.” Fecker is currently directing a scene of Almost Maine, the latest play from the drama department. So why didn’t she just quit the team? “You should be able to balance multiple extracurriculars,” she said. “Both track and drama are really important to me.”