As the second half of the season arrives, the Verrado track and field team has already put together a season worth noticing. According to AZPreps365, the Vipers’ boys 4×200-meter relay has posted a 1:32.06 mark this season, while Adam Beyer has reached 22 feet, 8.5 inches in the long jump. Both the boys and girls teams opened their 2025–26 schedules on Feb. 25 and have powered through a packed spring that included invitationals, home meets and the Agua Fria District Track and Field Championships on April 16.
Those numbers matter, but they only tell part of the story.
Earlier this year, Verrado athletes were grinding through temperatures that felt ridiculous even for Arizona, pushing through brutal practices to get ready for the season. Now, with track season halfway done, many athletes are finally getting a real sense of what the sport demands especially the newcomers who are experiencing high school track for the first time.
For sophomore Avie Groseth, joining the team this season has meant stepping into something uncomfortable and finding strength in it.
“I still get nervous before running,” Groseth said, “but it helps me get out of my comfort zone and do something hard that I normally wouldn’t be doing.”
Asked about her favorite part of track, her answer was simple: “The people.”
That seems to be a common theme across the team. Track is demanding. It takes long practices, physical toughness and a major time commitment. But for many athletes, what makes it worth it is the bond they build with teammates along the way. For Groseth, those friendships have become one of the best parts of the experience, and something she says she would not change.
Freshman Malia Casper, who competes with the long-distance group in events from the mile to the two-mile, shared a similar view.
“I love getting to push myself, and also getting to do that with my friends,” Casper said. “It’s hard, but it’s also fun.”
For Casper, track has become more than just a challenge. It is also a place where hard work and friendship go hand in hand, making even the toughest days feel worthwhile.
Annabelle Abraham, one of the more experienced members of Verrado track, has been with the program since her freshman year and said the sport has helped her grow as an athlete.
“It has really given me the ability to run faster,” Abraham said.
When asked about her favorite part of the season, she pointed to the time spent with teammates away from practice.
“Going on meets because I get to spend the whole day with my friends,” Abraham said.
That may be what defines this year’s Verrado track team most. Yes, there are marks on the board, races to run and jumps to measure. Yes, there were punishing early-season practices under intense Arizona heat. But whether they are first-year athletes, freshmen adjusting to the high school level, or veterans who have spent years in the program, the message stays the same: track is hard, but the friendships, growth and memories make every lap, every workout and every meet worth it.
