Track and field season has begun for Nucla High School, and despite not even having a real place to practice, head coach Sara Bray is pretty certain the Mustangs will accomplish some things this year.
Bray, a mother of three who is also the elementary school principal and a full-time rancher, is coaching track for grades nine through 12, which is a combined team made up of Nucla and Norwood students. Megan Urban, English teacher at NHS, is coaching the middle school grades, which are not combined this year.
Track practices started in early March, and NHS had its first meet of the season Saturday, an all-day event, as is typical. There are approximately 12 kids out for the team, but that might increase with a few of the baseball guys asking if they can also join and do both sports.
The male and female team is competing in the range of events, with the exception of high jump, since there is no pit at NHS. Bray said she’s got a mix of sprinters and mid-distance runners.
Lisa Sutherland, in her senior year, was a state champion last year for the 100-meter hurdles; she was also runner-up last year in the 300-meter hurdles and a state qualifier for the 100-meter dash. Bray said there’s no question that Sutherland will be headed to state again this year. Additionally, Bray’s daughter, Keiran, who is a junior, qualified in the 800-meter run last year, and coach is expecting good things from her own kid.
Bray said overall, she’s got a good group. Some of the freshmen and sophomores had never competed in track before Saturday. One NHS team got disqualified during a relay race for not exchanging the baton in the appropriate zone. Bray said it was a learning experience for all, and the runners won’t make that mistake again.
When coach explained to the referee that her track kids have a learning curve, since they don’t have a track to practice on, the ref assumed that was because the Nucla track was snowed under.
“I had to tell them, no, we don’t even have a track,” she said. “But our kids can still be competitive, even without that advantage.”
Track season runs throughout the spring, with the state meet happening May 18-20. Bray said her team will be headed to Denver on the last day of school. She said she can say that with confidence, considering Sutherland “dominates in hurdles” and her own daughter “knows what she needs to do.”
Coach, herself, was a state qualifier all four years in high school, even her freshmen year at a 5A school in Pueblo, before moving back to Norwood. She only attended state once due to conflicting dates and life circumstances, but the sport of track seems to be in her blood.
Bray is assisted in coaching this year by Nancy Booth, the NHS librarian. She’s also supported by Sherri Carr for throwing, specifically shot put and discus. Carr will be coaching Norwood Middle School too, so her time in Nucla might be limited.
Bray looks forward to what this season holds, despite the challenges her kids face.
“This sport in this town is extremely difficult,” she said. “We don’t even have a track and don’t have a long-jump pit because it’s covered with construction … It’s that much harder, but our kids do perform well, so shout out to them.”
