The Saint Stephen’s track and field team will make program history this Saturday as it competes in its first-ever indoor meet at the Florida High School Indoor Championships in Gainesville.

The meet marks a major milestone for the program and it gives the athletes a new competitive experience early in the season.

Several Falcons will represent the school at the meet, including seniors Austin Carr, Sanjay Dastidar, Kian Riedi, and Kavi Riedi, along with sophomore Sophia Hobson, who is a new non-traditional student-athlete with Saint Stephen’s this year. 

As a new member of the program Hobson has quickly adjusted to the training style and team culture.

“I like the smaller team feel and the individual attention from coaches,” Hobson said. “The ladder workout has helped me the most, and my goal is to run 2:25 in the 800m this weekend.”

The Florida High School Indoor Championships bring together high school athletes from across the state to compete in a fast-paced indoor environment. Unlike traditional outdoor track which are 400m long and are flat, indoor meets are held on a 200m banked track, requiring athletes to adapt quickly to faster race conditions and a different style of competition.

New head coach Nikki McCarreins emphasized the importance of exposure and experience for her athletes as they prepare for this historic competition.

“My goal for this first meet is for all the athletes to have a great experience, and establish early-season marks,” McCarreins said. “They will support each other, and compete well against high-level opponents.”