After running at many tracks other than their own, Hickman seniors were able to run at home for their Senior Night on April 29. Seniors enjoyed the celebratory event and getting recognized at the track where they practice every day. 

Melora Hayes

Senior Melora Hayes joined track and field during her freshman year. It was her goal in high school to be on a sports team.

“I just wanted to…learn those team dynamics and how to work better in larger groups of people,” Melora said.

She thought that track would be a good opportunity to do that. There were no tryouts for track.

“I picked track just because it kind of felt like the easiest [to get into],” Melora said.

Melora entered with little to no expectations, but ended up winning medals in her first season during her freshman year.

“When I started competing, and when I started actually having the accolades to prove that I was doing well, it made me feel really good,” Melora continued. “It was kind of my first award in anything, so it made me feel really good.”

Her dad has been a big component of her athletic journey.

“He played a lot of sports growing up, so his opinion and his thought process, as far as playing sports, I really lean on him in terms of that and advice and just how to navigate kind of the sports area,” Melora said.

Due to performance anxiety, Melora still struggles with getting nervous. 

Many athletes can experience anxiety while competing. For Melora, she felt “really tense and fidgety.” 

It’s something that’s gotten better over time, but she has still been working through it.

“It’s not linear, you know, it’s kind of up and down. So for the freshmen that have come in that have kind of been experiencing those same feelings, I try to just be there for them,” Melora said.

By letting them know that she understood and reassuring them that things would be okay, she found herself working through it with them. 

“That’s what the seniors, when I was a freshman, did for me, and so as a senior now, I just want to make sure I get that same pass down, that same knowledge and insight and be the support for them,” Melora said.

As a senior, she had a special connection to this meet specifically because it was at home. More than the fact that there was an advantage of performance as they competed at the track they practiced on, the people she knew were watching. Many Hickman community members had an easier time coming because they weren’t traveling out of the city.

“It’s really nice to just see those people in the audience,” Melora said.

Bella Domeier

For some students, the sport began before high school. Senior Isabella (Bella) Domeier’s mom put her in the Blue Thunder Track Club when she was younger. Although it was mostly for fun, things became more serious in middle school.

Bella does 300 hurdles, her favorite being the four-by-four. Ultimately, she credits her hurdle coach, Carson Ridgeway and other hurdle teammates for making the sport “fun and giving me a sense of direction with track.”

The experience allowed her to work towards bigger goals than just individual performance, while making friends along the way. Beyond the daily practices, the senior night is especially memorable.

“It feels cool to be at home with all your Hickman fans and some teachers come out to support…then Kona ice comes, and it feels like a big party,” Bella said.

Langston Thomas:

Senior Langston Thomas began participating in track and field during his sophomore year.

“I was bored [with the] basketball season that just ended, and I didn’t want to play summer basketball,” Langston said.

His friends suggested trying track. 

“I just decided to try one day during spring break,” Langston said.

Langston saw it as a secondary sport to increase speed or strength to supplement additional sports such as football. 

It was no wonder that team members felt sentimental about the season coming to a close. Through vocal leadership, Langston hoped to make others feel at home, just as they did.

“I try to be that big brother to all of the underclassmen and even the juniors…just making sure I’m that person they can talk to about anything, whether that’s life, whether that’s track, whether that’s the recruiting process, whether that’s academics,” Langston continued. “I just want to be available and be a part of that community that helped me out so much and that developed me as an athlete and as a person so much,” Langston said.