Aidan O’Donnell in 3200 meter relay at WPIAL Championships. Slippery Rock University (graduates in June 2020).
BY W.B. FRESA
“A
rising tide lifts all boats,” says Wesley Bell.
It’s just one of several adages he uses to inspire
his runners as the assistant track coach of distance
events at Moon Area High School.
“It’s something I say to all the kids,” explains Bell. “And I’m
hoping they see how their hard work and success during last
season is going to have a big impact on the team moving forward,
and hopefully for years to come.”
It seems this mindset is working because after only two years
in the position, he’s coached the track and cross-country student-
athletes to victory and helped them break several school records
that were 25 years old, as well as compete in the PIAA State
Championship.
Track and cross-country are held at different times of the
year. Cross-country training begins in the summer and ends in
October. Winter track runs from December through February
and spring track rounds out the year, beginning in March and
ending in May. It’s a full-time commitment for the coaches and
students who enjoy being on the team.
“I’m always impressed by the discipline and hard work these
students bring to the table,” says Bell. “Their workouts are six
days a week, Monday through Saturday. For five months, they
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run hundreds of miles through snowstorms, sideways rain,
hailstorms, and 40 mph winds. They do everything from nine-
mile runs, skipping rope, pull-ups and planks to deep-water
running, lifting weights and swimming. And at the same time, we
have kids on the team with varying degrees of ability. All of them
want to get better, and do, as the season progresses. Everyone
trains. Everyone races. Everyone matters.”
The effort and hard work really showed for the 2019 Boys
3200 (4x800) relay. They placed first in the MAC Championship,
seventh in the TSTCA Indoor Championship, fifth in the Butler
Invitational, and second in the South Fayette Invitational. The
relay team placed third in the WPIAL Championship and 21st at
the PIAA State Meet, Shippensburg State University.
But perhaps the cherry on top of their stellar season was
recording the second fastest time in Moon Area High School
history at 8:09.6.
“We missed breaking the 43-year-old record by .4 seconds,”
says Alex Estright, the graduating senior on the relay team. “It
was weird at the time because we had so many thoughts going
through our heads about what winning the event would mean.
Even though we were happy about the outcome, it’s one of those
things that’s going to stick with me a little bit.”
Over the
Moon!
Moon
Area High
School has
a standout
year in
cross‑country
and track.