Track and field dates back to the ancient Olympic games of Greece. Since then, the sport has gathered mainstream appeal around the world. Over the years, there has been some confusion about whether Eureka has a track and field team. Many students believe there is not a track and field team at Eureka, but that is not true, or at least not entirely true.
Eureka’s official sports page lists many sports, such as football, basketball, golf, etc. One sport that is not seen on this list is track and field, but one sport that can be found is cross country.
Cross country and track are different sports, with the main focus of cross country being long-distance running. Track also focuses on long-distance events, but it has many other events as well. Track and field includes various field events such as hurdles, high jump, discus, and many others.
Back to the question at hand, does Eureka College have a track and field team? The answer is not a simple yes or no.
In the full definition of the sport, Eureka does not have a track and field team. Instead, Eureka has what they call a distance team. The distance team participates in indoor track meets which consist of a variety of different running events. The distance team does not participate in field events, but in running events starting from the 400 meter and up.
Khalil Alleyne is a Junior Eureka student who is currently a second-year runner for Eureka’s cross country and distance team. He was asked if he considers the distance team to be track.
“Yes, me and my teammates think of the distance team as a track because we run shorter distances and run inside,” Khalil Alleyne said.
Some believe that the distance team should not be considered track since they do not participate in field events. Regardless of what they are called, they are still Eureka athletes and should be supported and celebrated for their achievements by the student body.
“The distance team is supposed to enhance the experience of cross country to encourage them to train and compete year-round,” Athletic Director Shaw said.
The distance team started their season in December at the Titan First Chance Meet in Bloomington. The meet went very well, with the team setting seven personal records. Since then, the distance team has been to five other meets. More information about the meets and the results can be found on Eureka’s Red Devils sports page.
The head cross country/distance coach is Chris Robinson, assisted by coaches Ian Cummings and Zach Sancken. Chris Robinson is an alumnus of Eureka, who graduated in 2013 and has been working for the school since. In 2020, Chris took up the mantle of coach and led the program to its best season in Eureka history, setting 16 new records for the school.
Many fall sport athletes may be more inclined to participate in track and field in the spring since it could help them stay in shape during their off-season. Unfortunately, Eureka does not offer it.
“The main reason is the lack of infrastructure such as a track, this would leave us trying to share space with another school which can be difficult,” Athletic Director Shaw said.
Eureka College did have an official track team. However, its last season was in 2017. If students want to see a track and field program in the near future, advocating for one would be the first step.
