Plenty of sprinters, jumpers, ready to lead Clarinda Track and Field
There are over 100 athletes working on the track daily for the Clarinda boys and girls track and field teams.
That’s easily the highest numbers that Chad Blank has had in the program as he is into his sixth season as Clarinda’s head track and field coach. He said he and his staff have had to stay very organized to make sure everyone gets the work they need.
“This is about 20 more kids than we have had in the past,” Blank said, “so just making sure we’re on the same page as coaches is our number one goal. We sit down as coaches and make sure we have our whole season planned out and then adjusting week-to-week and day-to-day as needed. Then, making sure that we’re prepared when we come to practice so that we are logistically sound.”
The Cardinals have scored a lot of their points in the big meets in recent years thanks to strong individual performances. Blank said his team will score big points in open events this season, but their depth looks to be as good as they have had during Blank’s tenure, especially in the sprints.
A pair of senior sprinters lead the way in Kylie Meier and Kaiden Roop, who both have plenty of state experience and have big goals for this season. Both led the team at the season-opening indoor meet Friday, March 13, at Iowa State with both placing in the top four at the Class 2A state meet in the long jump.
Clarinda senior Kylie Meier
“I’m really looking to do well in the long jump this year,” Meier said. “It felt good to start the season off at a good point. I’m pushing the board and my steps are good. So, that’s all you can ask for.”
Clarinda senior Kaiden Roop
“It was good to get the jitters out with the first meet,” Roop added. “Go compete instead of going to practice. Competing is a big thing for us, and we got to go do it.”
Blank said it was nice to get several of his kids early season marks, making sure each of them knows that they are competing against what they did early last season and not what they were doing at the end of the year.
“It’s kind of quick getting into it,” Blank said of the season’s first meet, “but it’s great to get up there and see some good competition and see what we’re capable of early on. We compared very well to what we did there last year. We had a lot of really good stuff.”
Roop said his goals for the season start in the long jump, where he placed third at Iowa State. The sprints will be big for him as well.
“The 100 and 200 are going to be big races for me,” Roop said, “and I need to get some 400s in to get my 200 time up.”
Meier is getting some work in the mid-distance early this year, and said she expects to go up to 800s this year with the 4x400 relay one that she’s excited about.
Roop and Meier have plenty of teammates that will be big point scorers this season and Blank was asked about who some of those other top kids are.
“Kaiden Roop is looking really good, and Kayden Hawley is looking great on the sprint side too,” Blank said. “I’m looking forward to what they’re going to be able to do. Christian Gross is another kid that’s taken some big strides over this offseason on the sprint side. Distance-wise, Isaiah Stogdill is a kid who got a ton better last year and he opened at 2:07 in the 800 at Iowa State, so I’m looking forward to see what he can do.
“Going over to the girls,” Blank continued, “Kylie Meier of course and Stevie Wilmes. Ellery Bird has been huge as a freshman, and Miley Wagoner has been great on the sprint side. Then, Riley King, obviously, with what she’s been able to do on the distance side.”
For the team’s two top sprinters and jumpers in Roop and Meier, they are both focusing on the one final sprint of a season in their decorated track and field careers and both were asked how they would like this to end.
“We got to go win state and take home some hardware at the state meet,” Roop said. “As long as we go up there and compete, run fast, jump far, jump high, we’ll be alright.”
“With four state medals around my neck at the state meet,” Meier added.
After the Hawkeye 10 South meet, the Cardinals host a coed meet Thursday, April 9, as part of a three-meet first full week of April. Glenwood hosts this year’s Hawkeye 10 Conference meet, scheduled for Thursday, May 7.
Members of Clarinda's large track and field team hear from head coach Chad Blank (far right) prior to a practice Wednesday, March 18. Blank has over 100 athletes in the program.
