Chasing the dream: Alpha set to storm ISSA Champs

IT has been a dream season so far for the Convent of Mercy's (Alpha) track and field team and head coach Kirk King is hoping his girls will continue that momentum going into the March 24-28 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs).

After finishing 12th last year with 36.5 points, and third best among Corporate Area teams behind Immaculate Conception and Wolmer's Girls at this year's Corporate Area Championships, King expects a big improvement at Champs.

At the Corporate Area Championships they showed their worth and were just squeezed out of second place by Excelsior High.

King is feeling good about his charges leading up to the Championships.

"The girls are excited and I am feeling confident with how they are performing, and I am positive that they will be competitive at Champs," said King. "Once they go out there and perform to the best of their abilities they will get the required results."

The team has looked very good in Class Three and this was shown at the Gibson McCook Relays where their 4x100m quartet pressured a very strong Edwin Allen High team all the way, just losing out in the end in a close finish.

"We have a very good set of girls in Class Three and we are very strong in the sprint and hurdles. These are areas we normally do well in but with big improvement in other areas like middle distance they have been looking good and we now have a more rounded team," said King, who stated that he has a passion for the hurdles.

"I love to coach the hurdles but as a team we aim to be better in other areas. I have done well in other areas as I used to coach the high jumpers at St Jago High in the past," he stated.

He also works with the hurdlers at Kingston College but King said this has not affected the time he spends with his girls.

"This is more positive than negative as the girls see what the Kingston College hurdlers are doing and they gain a lot of confidence from this," he said.

King said despite his team's big improvement at the Corporate Area Championships it will be a different affair at Champs.

"I know that Champs is much different from the Corporate Area Championships and although we have a smaller squad compared to the likes of Immaculate Conception and Excelsior, we will be pushing to be the top Corporate Area team as I think we have the quality."

King thanked the school's Principal for the continued support has called on others to continue supporting the programme.

"A big thank you to our principal who has given us the support, and to the parents who are always coming out to cheer for their kids. I wish also to appeal to all past students to come out and support the team as their support is very critical for the programme going forward," he concluded.