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Off and Running in Leaps and Bounds

Year 5 for Harvey’s winter indoor track program is expected to produce more solid results from some of the same athletes who starred on the cross country team in the fall. Head coach Christian Coscio and his two assistants, Shannon Horan and Henry Baker will work with a strong core of returning athletes who are in great shape and ready to build on their previous successes.

“The roster is not particularly large but has enough to be competitive indoors this winter and setting itself up for an even stronger spring season,” Coach Coscio said. The coach likes the looks of the roster’s personnel. “There’s a great mix of senior leadership along with young, talented athletes,” Coach Coscio said.

Harvey’s top cross country athlete and HVAL champion, ninth grader Ally Zimmerman returns to the indoor events this winter as both a distance and mid-distance runner. “Ally is coming off another excellent cross country season finishing in great shape,” Coach Coscio said. “Ally’s attitude and desire to succeed will continue to push her to new heights,” the coach said, adding. “We’re excited to see how she continues to progress in the 1000m this season while also pushing for some of the longer track events.”  

Also returning for winter events after a season of cross country is senior captain O’Neil Ellis whose specialty indoors is running in the sprints. Coach Coscio is very happy to see his top sprintster return. “O’Neil is starting the season in the best shape of his life after using used cross country to build endurance,” said the coach who sees Ellis “more excited than ever to tackle the sprints this season.” Coach Coscio believes that Ellis has built up a base that should help him to push even faster in the long sprints such as the 300, 400, and 600. The coach sees a very determined athlete anticpating the start of a new season. “With how close he got to the school record in the 55 last year, it will be great to see O’Neil in any sprint this season,” Coach Coscio said.

Another cross country participant competing in winter track is ninth grader Noah Carlevarini who Coach Coscio believes will find some success. “Under Coach Baker’s tutelage, I expect that Noah will continue to grow and develop his running abilities this indoor season,” Coach Coscio said.

While Zimmerman, Ellis and Carlevarini were running long distance in the fall, senior winter track returnee and team captain Mollie Weisberger was staying in tip-top shape and getting lots of running in as one of the varsity soccer team’s top midfielders, an HVAL All-League player who helped her teammates capture the league soccer championship. In returning for another season of winter track, Weisberger will participate in sprints and jumps. Coach Coscio admires the senior’s dedication and commitment to the winter program. “Mollie’s been putting in the work outside of practice consistently since the school year began,” Coach Coscio said. “We’re excited to see her hard work pay off as the indoor season begins,” he said, adding, “She’s one of the hardest working individuals I have ever coached.”

While the winter track coaches and their athletes will be looking forward to Harvey athletes competing in the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) championship events  at the end of the season, Coach Coscio said he stresses that the team’s goal is “to compete with ourselves each and every day to make improvements.” He wants his athletes to stay focused on the small prizes, explaining that “there are plenty of opportunities to improve, earn personal best times, and score a few medals along the way.”

In looking over the winter schedule of meets, Coach Coscio is excited to get the season underway. He said, “We have a solid schedule with plenty of opportunities for our athletes to compete and improve. Many of our athletes are in great physical shape, and we expect them to hit the ground running early. For this team, the sky’s the limit!”

The Harvey winter track athletes will get their first taste of competition at Ivy Prep Developmental meet Dec. 3 at The Armory in New York City