On Wednesday, April 15th and Saturday, April 18th, the HVHS Outdoor Track and Field athletes competed in the 2026 Titan Track Classic at the Hidden Valley High School Track.
Coach Garner (head track coach) stated, “This year’s outdoor track season has been progressing well overall. Our athletes have shown a great deal of resilience, adapting to the unpredictable nature of spring weather, whether that’s wind, rain, or temperature swings, and continuing to stay focused on their goals”. As for the Titan Track Classic, Garner explained how the coaching staff did a phenomenal job of preparing our athletes to compete at their highest level, including Coach Stewart and Wade.
Additionally, HVHS track athletes and staff noted that having the annual home meet of the year brought in more support from parents and volunteers, which substantially increased the performance of our athletes.
Wednesday’s competition began at 4:00 p.m. with field events taking priority on the schedule. Athletes competed in shot put, discus, high jump, and long jump. Coach Wade’s throwers performed well throughout the afternoon, with several athletes achieving personal records in the discus.
The high jump and long jump competitions followed, with athletes working to extend their distances and heights. Once field events concluded, the running portion of the meet began with the 4x100m relay races; the relays featured smooth handoffs and competitive finishes.
Ronald Williams (12) competed in the 200m and 400m events. He had prepared through stretching, rest, and conditioning work leading up to the meet. “I ran the 200 and the 400 prepared for it by stretching getting my rest and recovering in after conditioning myself,” Williams said. He achieved season personal records in both the 200m and 400m, accomplishing his goal for the day.
Williams noted that participating at home (HVHS) felt different from away meets. “Competing at a home meet feels less stressful that away meets also having more work to do. This makes you lose adrenaline which I feel makes you unable to run as fast but being at a home meet is something that doesn’t happen often,” he stated.
Saturday’s meet started at 9:00am with field events again going first. Jumpers and throwers competed in the triple jump, shot put, and discus throughout the morning. By mid-morning , field events concluded and the track portion of the meet began. Distance runners competed in the 1600m and 3200m races, with Coach Stewart’s training evident in their performances. Following the distance events, sprinters competed in the 100m, 200m, 400m races. The meet concluded with the 4x400m relay races.
The meet ran more efficiently than typical larger competitions. “Compared to some of the away meets we’ve attended, I felt we were especially prepared and efficient. Our staff did a great job making necessary adjustments both before and during the meet, which allowed us to stay on schedule and keep things moving. As a result, we were able to wrap things up earlier in the afternoon rather than running late into the evening, which is often the case at larger meets,” Coach Garner explained.
Several athletes achieved personal records during the classic. “While I don’t have an exact number, we did have a handful of athletes who were able to surpass their personal records at this meet, which is always encouraging to see,” Coach Garner said.
The focus for the program remains on consistent improvement throughout the season. “Going into every meet, our goal is for each athlete to improve and compete at a level that challenges their current personal best. At the same time, we understand that not every race will result in a new PR. The focus is on consistent effort, growth, and putting ourselves in a position to perform at our highest level each week,” Coach Garner noted.
Overall, the annual Titan Track Classic was a success and was an enjoyable and exciting event!
