Cracked pavement. Weeds galore. Short of regulation length.
Needless to say, the track at Houston High School has seen better days.
Due to a tight budget that hasn’t allowed for costly improvements, the condition of the HHS track has steadily declined through the years. The current version features many cracks in the pavement, grass growing through the surface and the outside lane unusable due to dirt and growth washing onto the track.
Those are just the cosmetics.
Sometime in the 1990s, it was discovered the track wasn’t regulation length. The facility also lacks required safety nets for discus and shotput events. The school hasn’t hosted a meet since.
The need for improvements is well known. Funding the changes is the sticking point.
Two years ago, HHS athletic director Brent Kell said he received an estimate for improvements. The pavement would be sealed and resurfaced, and the track would be lengthened horizontally. The growth would require expanding toward Spruce Street or removing the side street that runs to the front of the high school. The price tag was $115,000.
Kell presented the information to former Superintendent Dan Vandiver, who said the request would be considered for the future but was not affordable at the time.
“When you have to mow the track, that’s not a good thing,” Kell said. “I wish we could do something, but right now it’s on the back burner. It’s not in the budget, and I understand that.”
Kell said many small schools face similar situations with their facilities. He said a few local districts have considered cutting their programs. Those conversations have not taken place at Houston.
With no improvements in sight, the middle and high school programs do their best with the current facility.
HMS coach Boulder McKinney said his athletes often run for a set amount of time instead of a marked distance around the track –– which in Houston would not be correct. He said the relay teams have the most difficulty with the inaccurate distance of the track.
HHS coach Skye Carrasquillo recalls the challenges this year of helping senior Kayla Herndon prepare for sectionals in the 300-meter hurdles.
“I tried to set them up on our track and when you’re talking about hurdles, your steps have to be accurate,” she said. “It’s kind of like you’re guessing. You’re changing variables on our track that are difficult to deal with.
“We approximate and guess a lot of times.”
Carrasquillo said the asphalt surface can be unforgiving. Most practices, she said her athletes run on the football field inside the track to avoid shin splints.
“I have them run on the grass as much as possible,” Carrasquillo said. “But to prepare them to run on a hard surface at meets, sometimes they just have to suck it up.”
When you have to mow the track, that’s not a good thing.”