Plum track and field coach Matt Proskin said he is energized by what he is seeing from his sprinters, jumpers and throwers as the winter indoor season progresses.
“We have our best numbers since we brought the (indoor) program back,” Proskin said Wednesday after conducting a top-end speed day workout with the sprint and jump groups.
Other days, acceleration or speed and endurance work takes center stage.
“They are segmented days where we don’t hit the same thing every day,” Proskin said. “It’s good for them to have that balance. The cross country runners are always doing their distance workouts.”
Proskin said consistency has been there in the form of 20 to 25 present for regular training and also competition.
“We’re really happy with where the program is at,” he said.
“It is continuing to grow every year with kids really dedicating themselves to improving in the moment and also with work to get ready for the outdoor season in a couple of months.”
While many of the indoor track athletes are not participating in a winter sport, Owen Proskin again is pulling double duty with his indoor training and competition as well as his service as a 6-foot-3 forward to the Plum boys basketball team. The Mustangs stood at 7-6 overall and 3-3 in Section 2-5A through a key 71-68 victory at Indiana last Tuesday.
“We have a pretty good schedule down with Owen because, for the most part, we know when the basketball games are,” coach Proskin said.
“The basketball team usually practices from 5:30 to 7:30, and indoor track usually goes after school. He is able to get his track training in early and will have a little bit of a break before basketball practice. It is a balance, but we’ve been able to find a rhythm that works.”
Proskin’s versatility on the track and in the field is on display again this winter.
At the first Tri-State Track Coaches Association meet on Jan. 11 at Edinboro, he took first in the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.50 seconds and placed second in the high jump (6 feet).
“He ran really well that day,” coach Proskin said.
“Both his prelim time and his final time were really close, and that was in line with where he was for our December meet at Kent State.”
Proskin established a personal best of 8.48 in finishing second in the 60 hurdles at Kent State on Dec. 8.
“Those races really showed consistency with where he’s at right now, especially with being in the middle of basketball season,” coach Proskin said. “He’s really not doing anything fresh right now. We’re pretty happy with where he’s at.”
Proskin also leaped to personal bests at Kent State in the high jump (6-2) and long jump (20-11½), finishing runner-up in both events.
The 6-0 in the high jump at Tri-States came the morning after a tough basketball section battle with Kiski Area.
“He was good in the high jump, but between the game and running the 60, he kind of ran out of juice in his legs a little bit,” coach Proskin said. “He jumped a little bit better at Kent, but he is in line with where he wants to be. We just have to take everything into account, but it was a solid effort.”
Senior sprinter Gabby Layne made her season debut at the Jan. 11 Tri-State meet at Edinboro and produced top-eight finishes in the 60 dash (seventh, 8.22) and 200 dash (sixth, 26.59).
“It was good for Gabby to get out and race,” coach Proskin said. “She didn’t run at Kent, so it was nice to see where she’s at with her runs at the Tri-State meet. She ran well in both events.
“In the 60, she was kind of handicapped because she wasn’t able to use blocks in the finals. It does impact you when you are used to racing a certain way and you’re thrown a little bit of a curveball. But she still ran well. Her 200 was pretty strong. I am happy with where she’s at with that.”
Coach Proskin said he’s also looking forward to seeing Layne add the 400 to her portfolio.
“I’ve been trying to get her to do that for a couple of years,” he said. “She could bump up to the 400 and still have a lot of success. It will also help her other events.
“It will be fun to see her run the 400 a couple times and see where she’s at with that. She has the right stride for it, so I think she’ll do pretty well.”
Coach Proskin said Layne and Owen Proskin have that experience to where they are pretty dialed into what it takes to be in the right form at the right time of the season.
“I look forward to seeing them improve week to week and also help raise the standards of their teammates, too,” coach Proskin said.
Junior Sloan Humphries achieved personal-best performances at the Kent State meet in the 60 dash (8.01), long jump (18-2) and triple jump (40-11).
He earned a top-eight finish in the triple jump (sixth, 38-8) in his return to competition at Edinboro and also landed in 11th in the long jump (17-7½).
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“We’re really looking forward to seeing Sloan progress,” coach Proskin said.
“He did really well at Kent last month. He did OK at Edinboro. Something was a little off, but that can happen with jumps like that. We look forward to seeing him get back on track.”
Coach Proskin also lauded the return to competition by sophomore Niko Burrell who missed all of last year’s outdoor season because of injury.
He ran the 200 and 400 dashes and was a part of the 800 relay at the Jan. 11 Edinboro meet.
“It was good to have him back on the track and getting some races in,” coach Proskin said.
“He’s looking good. He’s going to help us a lot this year.”