A new era begins for the Belmond-Klemme girls track and field team as Shaylyn Long takes over as head coach for the upcoming season.
Long, a former Iowa State track athlete, enters her first year leading the Broncos with an emphasis on building confidence across the roster.
“For me, kind of the biggest challenges of transitioning from the athlete to the coach is kind of helping the girls be confident,” Long says. “And actually giving them that confidence to do a lot of the stuff that maybe they weren’t quite sure they were able to do before.”
The Broncos return a mix of experience, with strength expected in the sprints and middle-distance events. Early practices have focused on building endurance and establishing a base before expanding into field and specialty events.
As the season unfolds, Long says success will be measured by more than results.
“I really hope the girls feel like they have enjoyed the season,” Long says. “They’ve had fun, but also to be able to show them the improvements that they have made over the season.”
The Broncos are scheduled to open the season April 6 at the Sanger Relays in Britt.
