After spending last season rebuilding, the girls track team heads into the outdoor season optimistic, head varsity coach Greg Frandsen said. 

“I’m hoping that we’re near the top tier of teams this year,” Frandsen said. “Our conference is loaded.”

York and Downers Grove North are very strong teams, creating a tough conference, Frandsen said. Both schools have two of the best cross country teams in the state, which means their distance track team is strong. 

“Our conference is one of the best in the state. We’re so competitive that [indoor conference] sets the tempo for the outdoor season,” Frandsen said.

Frandsen has coached at LT for 44 years. Throughout his career, he has coached both the boys and girls teams. Now, he only coaches the girls track team. This year, Frandsen hopes to be in the top half of the conference. 

“I think that would be a major accomplishment. We’re [also] trying to qualify as many events as we can for the State meet, that’s always our goal.”

The track team consists of throwers, vaulters, sprinters, and distance runners, Frandsen said. Leigh Ferrell ‘25 is one of the top pole vaulters on the team. 

“[Pole vaulting] is hard because it can be mentally scary and a lot can go wrong, but I do it because it’s fun to go high and see progress,” Ferrell said. 

This year the sprint groups training is a bit different, Frandsen said. 

“We’ve changed the training a little bit with the sprint group,” Frandsen said. “We focused a little bit more on speed this year and in years past we’ve done more endurance work. We’re trying to see if that can push us to the next level.” 

Sprinter Lucy Laux ‘27 has been running since seventh grade and is on varsity this year.

“I like doing more sprint training because it improves every race no matter if you are a short distance or a longer distance,” Laux said. 

Laux enjoys track because it gives her the opportunity to push herself to be better, she said. She also likes the friendly competition and the environment of the LT girls track team. 

“The environment on the girls track team is very welcoming,” Laux said. “Everyone is so supportive and we cheer each other on during our races. One team tradition that stands out to me is that at the end of every meet everyone lines up along the track to cheer on [the 4×100 relay], and it is a fun way to end the meets.”

Indoor Conference is on March 21 at York High School. After the indoor conference, outdoor season begins.