CCHS, TBHS indoor track teams adjust to COVID-19 restrictions

In a typical indoors season before social distancing and face coverings became the focus of public health orders, indoor track meets at the Field House at the Campbell County Recreation Center would attract more than 1,000 athletes, said CCHS coach Micah Christensen.

This year during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the Wyoming High School Activities Association has capped indoor meets to 300 participants.

Campbell County hosted Laramie, Torrington, Cheyenne South, Cheyenne Central, Burns/Pinebluffs and Big Horn on Friday morning with a total of 238 athletes competing. That included 44 from CCHS.

On Saturday, Thunder Basin hosted Sheridan, Rock Springs, Pinedale, Big Horn, Buffalo and Tongue River with a total of 236 participants, including 77 from TBHS.

“It was crazy,” senior Xander Beeson said about the pared down meet. “Usually in the Rec Center we have, like, 10 or 15 teams. Yesterday we were limited to about six or seven. It was, like, half as many people there.”

The limited numbers impacted the length of the track meet, Beeson said. Normally, it would run all day, but Friday’s meet was over in just a few hours.

Another big difference to start the indoor track season is a separation of the Campbell County and Thunder Basin teams. It was the first time in three years the teams didn’t participate in a home meet together, Christensen said.

Beeson said he and Mason Mastellar at Thunder Basin have been competing in shot put and discus together since seventh grade.

“Not being able to see him throw or be able to talk to him definitely sucks,” he said. “I consider Mason one of my closer friends during track season, but it’s just one of those things that you’re going to have to get used to.”

Indoor track athletes will be limited to three regular season meets where participants can qualify for the state meet, Christensen said. Fewer meets will mean fewer chances to qualify for state, putting extra pressure on athletes to make the most of the limited meets the teams do get in the regular season.

“I’m definitely feeling the pressure,” Beeson said. “I’m definitely going to have my eye on these others meets just to kind of see how everyone else does. It’s definitely going to be a lot harder to get in, but I’m just trying to take this season one meet at a time and see where that takes me.”

The Wyoming High School Activities Association announced before the start of the season that a runner will need to be in the top eight in Class 4A to qualify for state or top nine in field events. No preliminary events will be held at state and all regular-season meets will be hosted at the Field House in Gillette and in Natrona County.

The boys and girls state meets also will be split between two weekends to limit the number of athletes participating at a given time. The boys state Indoor Track and Field Championships will be Feb. 27 while the girls meet will be March 6 at the Campbell County Field House.

While track athletes are adjusting to a revamped schedule and state-qualifying criteria, Christensen said athletes and coaches are thankful to have an opportunity to compete and have a season.

“There is some disappointment,” Christensen said. “The toughness of qualifying for state this year is something they are definitely nervous about because it’s going to be really tough to qualify, but they’re doing a really great job of showing up and working hard.”