Season of new school records and personal improvement

SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley School Warhawks made great improvements and set several new school records this track season. Coaches Danni Parcell and Judd Binley were proud of how well the students did in competition as well as all of their personal accomplishments this year.

The Warhawks had nine students between fifth to eighth grade participate in track and field this year. Binley, a retired educator and coach of 30 years and US National Team member in the discus, recently moved to Lindbergh Lake. He started to get to know some of the students by attending Warhawks sporting events through the winter. Knowing his extensive and impressive background in track, community members, school staff and students approached him about helping coach the Warhawks.

Binley recalled when eighth grader Trista Alexander approached him about coaching.

"She said, 'You don't know who I am but I know who you are. I'm Trista Alexander' and she shook my hand. [She continued], 'We would love it if you would coach track.' I said jeez, I've been thinking about it. I decided to make the commitment then."

Binley said the team focused on goals, fundamentals and basics despite the challenging weather to start off the season.

"The coldest day of winter in California is a boiling hot day of winter here – it is not even close," said Binley. "These kids are so tough compared to what I'm used to. If it would mist out, the kids are screaming and running for cover in California. Where up here, it doesn't matter if it is snowing and raining we are practicing outside."

One example Binley gave was working on the details of jumping. While the students didn't do a lot of jumping in practice, they focused a lot on the running technique.

"It's not just running, it is how you run, how you start your approach, how you transition into your jump... it is just amazing how many things there are to think about," said Binley. "But if you don't get the running down, that is like your basic thing, then you can't expect the other things to happen right."

Rilyn Richardson set a new sixth grade triple jump record of 27 feet, 4 inches at the Copper League Qualifier May 10. This was five inches farther than Tara Himes record set in 1994. This also leads the state by two feet for her grade and beats the Swan Valley School eighth grade record.

"Because of her work ethic she excelled and made huge improvements. She did a great job," said Binley. "She did everything I asked her to do and she had a great attitude."

Richardson also broke Aubrey Matthew's sixth grade Finn Flyer javelin record of 44 feet, 1 inch set in 2018 with a throw of 62 feet, 8 inches.

Another sixth grader for the Swan Valley record books was Aubrey Matthew.

Aubrey Matthew set a new sixth grade 800 meter record of 2:54.49 at the Qualifying meet. This beat Caitlin Stone's 2002 record of 2:54.87. Binley said that she made the most improvement over the season.

"I don't know that I've met a guy or girl that age that has that much focus at that age. Aubrey is as good as college people," said Binley. "She did everything you asked her to do. She is tough as nails. She has a great mindset for stuff. She is a great learner."

Eighth grader Kyla Conley set three new Swan Valley School records. She beat the eighth grade 400 meter record that was set in 2015 by Lily Mercer by more than three seconds setting the new record at 1:04.74. She also threw 3 feet, 9 inches further than Kinley Moore's eighth grade record in the Finn Flyer javelin from 2017 setting a new school record of 60 feet, 3 inches.

The third record Conley was part of was the 4X400 eighth grade relay team with Ava Thornsberry, Grace Mercado and Emily Maughan from Seeley Lake. They ran a 4:27.04 beating Swan Valley's record of 4:52:00 set in 2015 by Swan Valley's Lily Mercer and Seeley Lake's Andi Bohlman, Ella Batchelder and Bethany Hoag.

Binley appreciated Conley's great attitude and felt she and Alexander will both contribute a lot to the SSHS track and field team next year.

The fifth and sixth grade 4X400 relay team with Rilyn Richardson, Aubrey Matthew, Olivia Mitchell and Darby Gleason made great improvements in their time throughout the season. They took nearly 12 seconds off their time between the qualifier and the meet of Champions where they placed third with a time of 5:17.10. This is only two seconds off the seventh grade record set in 2011 so Parcell hopes they can get it next year.

Binley has high hopes for both Olivia Mitchell and Darby Gleason. They both tried a lot of different events this year and excelled. He said he was amazed how well Mitchell did when she focused. And in all of his years of coaching, he hasn't seen anyone with as much natural movement for shot put as Gleason.

"She is tough minded and hates losing," said Binley. "I love her for that."

Eighth graders Connor Matthew and Chris Auchenbach and seventh grader Jalen Kauffman were the only boys this year for the Warhawks. Parcell said Kauffman set the most personal records throughout the season of anyone else on the team in his different events.

"That was fun to watch," said Parcell.

Binley said the boys have a lot of great potential if they continue track.

"They were all coachable and all three of them had days when I thought this is going to be great," said Binley.

Binley said this year they were able to modify a lot of the equipment and workouts to train indoors. Once they were outside, Parcell said Binley donated a liner and paint for the field. He looks forward to working with the school board to continue to improve the outdoor facilities as well.

"It will just really make it easier for coaching, for the kids, it will be more fun, there will be places to play and do stuff on school hours," said Binley. "That is the goal right now to see what we can pull off if we can do something."

Binley and Parcell had a mutual appreciation for each other. Binley appreciated how receptive Parcell was to his input and suggestions. Parcell, who has been coaching the Warhawks track for the past 14 years, said she learned so much from him.

"He had great workouts, he was so knowledgeable and made it fun," said Parcell.

"Working with the kids, it was really awesome. There was a lot of interest, there were all these positives about every child and to see them improve," said Binley. "Improvement is everything because that is the greatest thing about track. It is really just about you setting your own personal world record. Even though it is a team sport, individually you can help one another achieve your goals."