Dakota Lafferty is back coaching the Illini West girls track team.
She has a big team this year, with 21 girls and a lot of freshmen.
“You know last year, I believe our numbers were more like nine,with seven of them being active at every meet because two were splitting with softball. So 21 girls is a pretty good number, it gives us a chance to fill some relays,” Lafferty said. “Having eight freshmen coming in that gives us a lot of new faces and you know, I’m not sure that track is always the most popular sport, especially on the girls’ side, just because the skill you’re performing is running for a majority of the sport. And you know nobody really loves to run, it’s not always fun but to get eight girls that want to come in and add to our program and help build the numbers is pretty fantastic.”
She’s told her team the goal is to try and fill as many events as possible.
“Even if that’s out of their comfort zone,” she explained. “So we’ve got a lot of girls– Madison Quesenberry’s a perfect example. She said, ‘Hey coach, I’ll fill what you need.’ Allison Hunter, she’s a senior this year. She said ‘I just want to do whatever’s needed at that track meet.’ So to have them be selfless– we saw that in volleyball, too. The same attitude there, just to help us compete as a team. I really enjoy that because track can be an individual sport, but it can also be a team sport if you have the numbers.”
Lafferty thinks her seniors are talented athletically, but their leadership really stands out.
“I coach them in volleyball. I saw it there and I saw it in basketball and I see it in the classroom and in the halls,” she commented. “Their interactions with the freshmen are polite, respectful and encouraging. Nobody’s ever tearing down the freshmen, or acting like they’re better than them. They want to see them grow. They want to help them understand that they are teammates. They get excited when they do something great or the day to day improvement.
“So to have the seniors show that leadership, it really expands beyond just me as their coach,” Lafferty continued. “They have other girls to help spread that and encourage them. Because track can be a high pressure situation with all eyes on you. So they keep everybody calm and encourage them to want to get involved.”
Lafferty said it’s no secret she did a little bit of recruiting to convince some of the girls to come out.
“Anna Jacob’s fantastic at high jump already and she was a little hesitant to join the team at first,” Lafferty explained. “So sometimes you’ve got to let them know that staying involved is always the better option for them. If they’re not doing something after school, they end up making the wrong decision or getting used to doing nothing. Which isn’t good for when they start a season again.
“But keeping the girls around each other year round and playing for different teams you have different roles on every team,” she added. “You might be the best player on the volleyball team. And then you’re a relay girl for the track team or a shooting guard for the basketball team. So to play different roles and accept them, whether they’re big or small, builds selflessness and camaraderie amongst the student body.”
Lafferty is excited to see what three freshmen– Taylor Brown, Anna Jacob and Kennedy Artman– can do over the next four years.
“Taylor Brown ran a 1:07 400 recently as a freshman with hardly any practicing. If that’s where she’s at early on, I’m excited to see where she’ll be at in May,” the coach said. “Anna Jacob is already keeping up with our top high jumper, Grace Goettsche. Grace has taken her under her wing but to already be clearing four-foot-six or -seven and she hasn’t done track since she was in sixth grade, that’s a remarkable thing. And she’s excited about it. So her attitude’s great.
“Kennedy Artman can really do just about anything because she’s naturally athletic,” Lafferty added. “I know that’s just three of our eight freshman, but to have that growth coming up... Because we are going to lose some big pieces. Josie Bryan’s back in the long jump. But she is going to be out for some time with a hamstring pull and hopes to be back in May. I know that breaks her heart and obviously loses us points that we could score as a team because Josie is strong for us.”
The team wouldn’t have known Taylor Brown could run a 400 had Josie not gotten hurt, she pointed out.
“Josie not being able to enter gave Taylor the opportunity to run it,” Lafferty observed. “So we’re gonna have other girls that step up so hopefully when Josie comes back healthy, there’s other people that can complement her.”
Ali Lopez and Aubrionna Knotts are running the 100 meters. Kennedy Gunning and Lopez are running the 200 meters. Brown and Gunning are doing the 400 meters. Emma Whitaker, a senior and four-year runner is back running the 800 and 1,600 meters. Andy Zhang will also do the 800. Avery Moore is trying the 1,600 meters. Goettsche will do the 100- and 300-meter hurdles and the high jump. Noel Rambo is the main shot and discus thrower.
Goettsche and Jacob are the high jumpers. Lopez is doing the long jump currently.
