It’s no secret this year that the track team has had a season full of success. It feels like there are emails from Gus Ornstein every day to notify the community of a new record being set. He might as well have them pre scheduled. Here’s a sample:
“Please congratulate Owen Larson for breaking the school record in the 5K with a time of 16:23:20”
or
“Congratulations to our 4×4 relay team of Juliette Reed, Paloma Hostin, Mirembe Mubanda and Marina Tassan-Solet on setting a personal record and qualifying for the legendary Millrose Games track meet on February 9th-11th”
Despite track being a sport that doesn’t receive the same amount of hype as football, soccer or basketball at Fieldston, it is constantly reaching new heights and achieving immense success. So what exactly is it about the Fieldston track team that makes them so special and able to create such a strong winning reputation?
Mirembe Mubanda was able to speak to this as she has broken numerous records in both her indoor and outdoor track seasons this year. Mubanda stated that even though track is often viewed as an individual sport, the Fieldston team is a very supportive group: “We often help each other get through “barriers” and are there to provide a shoulder to lean on.” Mirembe emphasized that “The team as a whole is really close, and we’ve built a fluid community that doesn’t separate sprinters from long distance runners. This has definitely played a big role in the strong support system the team has built and everyone is able to cohesively work together.”
When asked about the future of track and field at Fieldston, Mirembe was very hopeful for what is to come. She states that “I really hope that after I graduate, there will be other girls that come up who run distance and break my records! Running is a sport where people are always getting faster whether that is at the college level or little kids. I’m sure there will be girls who grow up and absolutely smash my records.”
Mirembe’s eager and encouraging outlook towards the coming years of track just goes to show how invested that athletes truly are.
Gus Ornstein, the director of Fieldston athletics, was also able to weigh in on the track team’s recent success. Gus’s iconic emails have become a staple in the Fieldston community and it’s impossible to go a week without receiving an email titled “track update” or “track record” in your inbox. He explained how athletes come up to him, excited to have their accomplishments released to the world. Although we can’t always see it (because the emails are purposely sent out in BBC form) the reaction from the student body and faculty is always warm and encouraging. Track is a sport that is little seen on campus; it doesn’t compete on campus like football, baseball, lacrosse, field hockey, swimming, water polo, basketball, tennis or volleyball. Cross country and track runners are usually away in a field or an armory or a stadium. Gus’s emails, therefore, are a way to “bring the Fieldston community to the field.”
Gus also made sure to emphasize that the records are now on display on the first floor of the P.E building which has helped increase attention and shine a spotlight on the track team’s accomplishments.
When asked about the uniqueness that is the Fieldston track team, Gus stated that “The coaches have done a really good job of taking what is somewhat of an individual sport and making it a team environment. They are able to get people to buy into what they’re doing and connect with the culture to see that it is a team that does things together.”
And it’s not just the track team! Here’s another Ornstein message for the swim team:
“Congratulations to Misha Maslov, Alden Harting, Morgon Washington-Patterson and Davis Luengthada on breaking the pool record for the 200 Free Relay with a time of 1:34:38!”
Go Eagles!
Dear Sira, I just returned from watching our school’s outstanding performance at the Ivy Championships at the Armory in Washington Heights. Your article had me nodding in agreement as I thought about the events I saw and the conversations I heard from the coaches and runners through the evening. This team is a joy to watch. They are exciting, talented and passionate. I am anxious to see how far this team can go. They have not peaked. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing many more emails from Gus this spring!