![On Monday, June 10, the annual Underclassmen Awards ceremony took place inside of WHSs auditorium.
I think that these awards bring motivation to [WHS] students to preform well academically, Sophomore Rufat Hasanov said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_0474-1200x800.jpg)
![With the recent addition of Wayland Hockey to the towns athletic budget, hockey players are at ease with sport costs, and the programs future at the school.
“I’m very excited and proud that the funding passed,” Recently elected boys hockey captain Shane Desmond said. “I know the WHA has put in a lot of effort to get this done, and I know the main goal is to make [hockey] more affordable.”](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-03-at-9.41.37-AM-1200x800.png)
![The Wayland residents who volunteer to coach baseball try to make the environment fun and uplifting for players. “[I try] to build the kids up,” Co-Commissioner and coach for a Minors team Alex Ahmed said. “If someone strikes out, you encourage them, [and] say that [they] get another chance, [or they] could try again next time.”](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/unnamed-1200x801.png)
On Thursday, May 23 to Saturday, May 25, qualifying athletes from Wayland High School will compete in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division IV outdoor track and field championship at Westfield State University. In order to qualify for divisionals, athletes have to get certain times to compete. In field events, pole vaulters, high jumpers, long jumpers and throwers have to get certain distances.
Junior Caitlin Heus-Smith will be running in the 200 meter dash event, as well as jumping in the long jump and triple jump events. This will be Heus-Smith’s third time competing at the outdoor track and field divisional meet.
“It’s always nice to see that you make the qualifying standard, and because a lot of people [don’t], it’s hard to make the standard [in divisionals] sometimes,” junior Caitlin Heus-Smith said.
Captain senior Elena Mente was the MIAA Division IV pole vaulting champion last year, and she hopes to repeat her success. Mente will continue doing track and field at Wesleyan University alongside captain senior Anika Frutman.
“I don’t train like the rest of the track teams because I only go to three practices a week [to practice hurdling],” Mente said.”I [also] do one practice at Patriot Vaulting Club.”
In order for a track and field athlete to make it to the MIAA Meet of Champions, they would have to win divisionals or have their personal record (PR) in the top 24 overall in Massachusetts.
“It’s a sport all about personal gain,” captain senior Sam Brooks said. “It’s just about what you can achieve. PRs [and] season records. Track and field is just overall fun. [Throwing] takes a lot of skill, time and strength.”
During practice, all athletes begin with an 800 meter warm up run. Due to the different events in track, athletes split off into groups to practice their event. Practice is usually separated by distance runners, triple and long jumpers, high jumpers, sprinters, hurdlers and throwers. The outdoor track season is entering its final weeks, where only certain athletes who qualified for divisionals or all-states will continue to compete.
“I think [qualifying for divisionals] is a good accomplishment,” Brooks said. “It’s something a lot of athletes want to achieve. We go for it for self improvement.”
