Seniors fought through the COVID-19 pandemic, among other obstacles, to leave Dartmouth track and field in a strong position
By: Justin Lafleur
When the Dartmouth track and field seniors returned to a normal schedule following the cancelation of the spring, 2020 season and shortened 2021 campaign (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), they had something to learn.
Or rather, relearn.
"A lot of us have expressed that we had to relearn how to compete," said senior Jake Dalton.
In some ways, it almost felt like starting over — not even the physical training, but more so the mental side of things.
"I was particularly nervous going into the first couple meets back, and I think that nervousness affected my performance," said Dalton. "I got too excited because I had been away for so long and was finally getting back into the thing that made the sport exciting for me."
What was that thing?
The competition, fellowship and camaraderie of pushing each other towards common goals. Those were all things that united the senior class of 2023 through challenging times. Instead of quitting, they forged forward, with Dartmouth track and field as a benefactor.
Competitively, Dartmouth won Ivy League Championships in three events in the spring. As a team, the women finished fourth with the men placing sixth.
Look back at the final moments of the Big Green winning the women's 4x800m relay!
The senior class has been involved in plenty of success, but the legacy they're leaving goes far beyond any race.
"Over COVID, we were split into our event groups more than we had been before," said senior Julia Fenerty. "When we came back, being together as a full team became more exciting. People across event groups became much more interested in cheering for other event groups and knowing each other's PRs.
"You gained a greater appreciation."
The pandemic led to greater appreciation on a number of levels, including the sport itself.
"A lot of what people did over COVID was try to reestablish their relationship with the sport," said Fenerty. "When the first season got canceled (2020), people pretty much just got angry. Or if you were injured, you took time off. Without being able to compete, you had to focus on your connection to the sport."
Over COVID, the Big Green seniors found different ways to stay connected with the sport… and each other.
"A lot of people decided to live in the Upper Valley anyway, even though we weren't really allowed access to the facilities," said Fenerty. "Specifically for running, and I know this isn't the same for most of the field events, we were able to train in socially-distanced ways that allowed us to keep getting together and benefiting from each other's company."
It would have been easy for the student-athletes to fall behind on training because they weren't being actively monitored. When the next meet would be was up in the air for the matter of months and years.
"The coaches did a really good job of motivating us," said Emma Cunningham. "Even though there wasn't a season to train for, they still made it clear that if you were training, that work would be rewarded at some point. There were going to be future seasons that you were going to be a part of, and you were still training for something."
The student-athletes had plenty of time to reflect and realize how much they loved the sport.
Emma Cunningham
"I would go on Google Maps and map out a 150 (meters) on my street, going from this house to that house," said Cunningham. "I know my teammates have done similar things, running socially-distanced through cities and towns."
It was harder for field athletes to train, but the Big Green were creative.
"The coaches were really helpful in coming up with alternative exercises for a lot of lifts because some people didn't have access to a rack," said Dalton. "It allowed students to get in most of their workouts."
At the 2023 Ivy League Heptagonal Outdoor Championships, Dalton took home second place in the hammer throw, which was made possible due in part to his work over COVID.
"The most rewarding aspect of track is learning to dedicate yourself to something for a long period of time," he said. "It's very mentally difficult; a lot of people burn out. I've been doing the sport for nine years. There has been a lot of push and pull, but at the end, I love the sport."
Jake Dalton (middle)
Dalton also loves the people.
"I have met most of my best friends at Dartmouth and most of them are on the track team," he said. "I'm with them all the time; I basically live with these people. It has led to a lot of really close relationships, ones I'm really sad to see go as I graduate and move on to the next chapter of my life."
Interacting with people face-to-face was missing for almost half of these seniors' college careers. But it has led to a gained appreciation of every moment they've had together since.
Just take Winterim for example, which is Dartmouth's break between the fall and winter terms.
"We all go home for Thanksgiving then come back for two weeks to compete," said Cunningham. "There are often juniors coming back from internships in the fall and meeting the freshmen for the first time. It's a really fun time to be on campus.
As Cunningham explained, you get to hang out without the pressure of school or outside social pressure.
"I feel like everyone on the team gets a lot closer," she said. "You hang out with all event groups all the time and you get to learn more about people."
Those close relationships were missing over COVID and now, the feeling isn't only back, but arguably even stronger than ever before. Julia Fenerty
"We recently did our full team cheer in FOCO (Class of 1953 Commons), which was more special, because you weren't even allowed in FOCO for a year," said Fenerty.
"It's difficult to coordinate a whole team, but that's why we have the seniors work together a lot, along with a big group of captains from each event group," Fenerty continued. "You are more intimate within your own event group, but we do a good job of feeling very supported across such a big team."
This senior class has played an important role in keeping the Big Green together and focused, learning so many lessons along the way.
"The senior and junior classes, and the class that just left (2022s), did a really good job of leading by example," said Cunningham. "Through COVID, we learned what hard work was and why we love the sport.
"It's something we brought to practice once we were back."
How has practice changed?
"We want to practice like we mean it… like it's the meet," said Cunningham. "That's a really big thing that has spread across the team.
"We have also made a lot of incremental steps in results."
In terms of results, there's no better example than the Ivy League Championships this school year. The Dartmouth women's 4X800 meter relay team (of Fenerty, Anya Hirschfield, Bella Pietrasiewicz and Annie Jackson) won gold in front of a home crowd at indoors, before making it 2-for-2 by capturing first during the outdoor season. Also in the spring, Fenerty won the 800m on the women's side while sophomore DJ Matusz claimed the men's 800m gold.
Fenerty's time of 2:03.81 was also meet record.
A NEW IVY MEET RECORD!!!!!
Watch the final moments as Julia Fenerty etched her name in Ivy League history in the 800m race!!
"It was a really special way to end my last heps, and the team environment was so cool and hype," said Fenerty. "I can't emphasize enough how supportive everyone was and how supported I felt by the team. Both times I crossed the line, I was immediately swarmed by teammates, and the whole team lined the track to cheer for the relays. My teammates who hadn't traveled all watched on the livestream at home and sent me the nicest texts.
"It was also so cool to watch DJ win just 10 minutes after my race," Fenerty continued. "It was such an exciting day for the team, and was personally so fulfilling to cross the line in first place twice on the day."
Those two first-place finishes were the result of staying so disciplined in the process throughout a very atypical four-year career.
Dalton, who was on the podium for a second-place finish at the outdoor championships, said it well.
"It's so rewarding to put in all that time, all that focus and seeing results, knowing that your hard work can pay off," he said. "It was great to be able to score points for the team."
The team aspect of track and field is often lost or downplayed, but don't be fooled. It's extremely important.
There's no better proof than the Dartmouth track and field senior class of 2023.
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