Meet the Captains: Boys Track and Field

Vanshi Shroff, Graphics Editor

January 6, 2025

Owen Abril

What event group are you captain for?

Hurdles Captain

How do you feel going into this season as a captain?

I feel super excited. I’ve ran under quality captains as an underclassman and seen how essential good leadership is towards being a successful program. Our team has high goals and aspirations for this season like hopefully repeating as Division 3 State Champions, and I hope my leadership can play a pivotal part in that.

Do you feel any different going into this season as captain than you did in previous years?

I feel a different sense of responsibility and seriousness that I haven’t felt before. I understand that lots of success of the program will be attributed to the captains’ leadership, but so will its mistakes and shortcomings. So I will try my best to inspire responsibility and hard work in the underclassmen in the hurdles group.

Do you plan to continue your sport in college?

I do plan to continue running track in college, hopefully at a school in the NESCAC conference.

What are your goals for your team this season, and how do you plan on achieving them?

The captains and coaches are looking to win big this year. We want to win the Bay State Herget Conference, but more importantly, the Division 3 State Championship. We plan to achieve these goals through hard work, inspiring confidence and drive into the younger athletes, and quality work ethic.

Do you do any clubs/activities outside of track and field?

I am a member of the National Honor Society and the Walpole Film Festival.

What is your advice to newcomers in this sport?

My advice to newcomers in track and field is to go for it. Don’t come into the sport just looking to run all the easy events, or thinking that you’ll just show up every once in a while to “get in shape.” This program saw its most successful year ever in the 2023-2024 school year, a substantial part of that being newcomer athletes putting in the work and stepping outside their comfort zones. Anyone can succeed in track and field, and anyone on the team currently can play a role in us hopefully winning the state championship again. But they have to be willing to go for it.

Did you foresee yourself being captain in the past, or when you had first started?

I always hoped I could be a captain when senior year came around but I wasn’t quite sure it would actually happen. When I received the news that I was officially going to be a captain, I was super excited.

What are you looking forward to the most for this season, and why?

I am most looking forward to making one last set of great memories before I leave the team forever. Fooling around in the history wing hallway, blasting music on the bus rides home from winning meets, eating food after meets, posing for photos with medals and trophies, etc. have all made such a huge impact on me and played a crucial role in who I am today. I look forward to making more amazing memories one last time in my final indoor season.

Cole Bowden

What event group are you captain for?

Distance (1000m, 1mi, 2mi)

How do you feel going into this season as a captain?

I’m excited to captain another season with an amazing group of distance guys. I’m very fortunate to be captain and I really just love being out there at practice every day. I’m looking forward to some PRs across the board and a great winter season.

Do you feel any different going into this season as captain than you did in previous years?

No. I was captain of boys’ cross country this fall and most of the distance guys carry over to winter track. The formula doesn’t change much: track is a little more individually-oriented but we still win and lose as an organization.

Do you plan to continue your sport in college?

Yes, I plan to continue my sport in college. I’d love to run for a club or DIII team. After college, I want to run longer distances, like marathons/ultras/ironmans.

What are your goals for your team this season, and how do you plan on achieving them?

I’m shooting for a divisional and relay meet win. I believe we have the talent and team chemistry needed to go for the win again. I’d also like to see seven guys hit major benchmark times in the distance events: 7 guys sub-3:00 1000m, 7 sub-5:00 mile, 7 sub-11:00 two mile. If we hit that, we’ll have great depth moving forward.

Do you do any clubs/activities outside of track and field?

Yes. I’m NHS President, I’m involved in French club and I’m directing a film for the Film Fest.

What is your advice to newcomers in this sport?

Buy into track early. If you are not doing other sports in the winter or spring, you should do track. Track has a great team atmosphere, everybody is super supportive, and you can get into great shape for other sports. I know a ton of guys who wish they started track freshman or sophomore year because it’s so fun. You only get 12 seasons of sports, so make the most of them.

Did you foresee yourself being captain in the past, or when you had first started?

Since freshman year, I always wanted to be captain because cross country and track are super important to me. My captains and upperclassmen were great role models and helped me adjust to high school, so I want to pay that forward.

What are you looking forward to the most for this season, and why?

I’m looking forward to running and cheering at the Reggie for one final season! We’re gonna be the loudest team in the conference!

Shane Hughes

What event group are you captain for?

Boys Jumps Captain and Hurdles Co-Captain

How do you feel going into this season as a captain?

This is going to be a very competitive season and I’m looking forward to leading the team to a successful season alongside the other captains, as well as helping the newer guys improve and become a contributing part of the team.

Do you feel any different going into this season as captain than you did in previous years?

This season, we have the chance to continue our win streak and this is something that we haven’t had in the previous years. I’m fortunate enough to be a captain during this time and have the chance to push the team to its limits.

Do you plan to continue your sport in college?

Yes, I will be running D3 Track & Field in college.

What are your goals for your team this season, and how do you plan on achieving them?

Our main focus this season is defending our title as D3 Indoor State Champions. We can achieve this by focusing more on the team aspect of the sport than the individual, just like we did last year and focusing on our event depth rather than our top talents.

Do you do any clubs/activities outside of track and field?

Random Acts of Kindness Club & Photography Club

What is your advice to newcomers in this sport?

It’s all about consistency and if you show up every day and put in your best effort, you will improve.

Did you foresee yourself being captain in the past, or when you had first started?

When I first started, I never imagined I would be a captain with all of the talented athletes on the team.

What are you looking forward to the most for this season, and why?

I am most looking forward to defending our title and qualifying as many athletes as we can for Nationals.

Scott Falvey

What event group are you captain for?

Mid Distance

How do you feel going into this season as a captain?

Although I was a captain as junior last year I feel like a have a larger leadership role this year because I am a senior.

Do you feel any different going into this season as captain than you did in previous years?

I feel different going into this season because I have a bigger job on the team. My goal is to teach the younger classes things that will help them have success in their track career.

Do you plan to continue your sport in college?

I do not think I will be continuing track in college.

What are your goals for your team this season, and how do you plan on achieving them?

The main team goal this year is to win the Division 3 state title again this year.

Do you do any clubs/activities outside of track and field?

I am in the Film Festival club.

what is your advice to newcomers in this sport?

My advice for newcomers in track is to trust the process. You might not be getting the type of times you want in the beginning of the season but if you put effort in you will succeed and meet your goals.

Did you foresee yourself being captain in the past, or when you had first started?

I thought I had a chance of getting captain but I was never too worried about it. Now that I am a captain I am just grateful for my coaches that believe in me to be a leader on this team.

What are you looking forward to the most for this season, and why?

I am looking forward to trying to win the state title again this year.

Austin Feener

What event group are you captain for?

I am the captain for sprints.

How do you feel going into this season as a captain?

I feel confident going into the season especially due to our success last year and my experience in years prior.

Do you feel any different going into this season as captain than you did in previous years?

I am slightly apprehensive about the season because we lost an impressive class of sprinters last year, but we have some new sprinters filling those roles already.

Do you plan to continue your sport in college?

Yes, but I am unsure where.

What are your goals for your team this season, and how do you plan on achieving them?

Our big team goal is to win the D3 state title again, and it will demand a lot of effort from the team.

Do you do any clubs/activities outside of track and field?

Yes, I am in investment club and NHS.

what is your advice to newcomers in this sport?

My advice to newcomers is to be patient, because results in sprinting come from dedication and sometimes don’t show until later in the season.

Did you foresee yourself being captain in the past, or when you had first started?

Yes, after watching the captains before me I was sure that I should apply for the job because I felt I could contribute something to the team as a leader.

What are you looking forward to the most for this season, and why?

This season I’m most looking forward to the D3 state championship, because the atmosphere is incredible.

Drake Grant

What event group are you captain for?

Captain for shot put.

How do you feel going into this season as a captain?

I feel great going into the season.

Do you feel any different going into this season as captain than you did in previous years?

No, I don’t feel any different.

Do you plan to continue your sport in college?

Yes, I do.

What are your goals for your team this season, and how do you plan on achieving them?