Tracking progress

Richard McMickens remembers a time when his classmates at St. John Neumann High didn’t exactly respect the school track team.

Whenever he would try recruiting people for the squad, he would get responses like "What track team?" and "What kind of things can you do?"

Compete in the state championships and the Nike Indoor Championships, the senior can now respond.

"Now that the question has been answered, I can say, ‘Look at what we are doing,’" said McMickens, of the 2000 block of Dorrance Street.

This weekend, in fact, McMickens and other members of the Neumann team will head to Landover, Md., to compete against the best high-school athletes from around the nation. The Pirates qualified to compete in the 4×200 and sprint medley relay. Fellow seniors Mike Matteo, John Wilsman, Rich DiGiacomo and freshman Kyle Tucker also are making the trip.

Going to nationals is the second major accomplishment of the season. The first was the 17th-place finish (1:33.78) of the 4×200 team of Tucker, Matteo, Wilsman and McMickens at last month’s state championships.

"It just feels so good to finally get respect from the Catholic League and from people outside the Catholic League," Matteo said.

Coach Steve Smith said he couldn’t recall the last time a Neumann track team advanced to the state and national levels. The squad’s success includes last weekend’s trip to a meet in New York City; all five team members came home with medals.

The feat is even more impressive considering the Pirates’ obstacles. The squad struggles to recruit even 25 athletes. And the team is without an actual track for practices. The third floor of the school and the main hallway usually serve as the makeshift practice course.

While Neumann’s basketball and bowling teams racked up championships over the years, the track team sprinted in relative obscurity. Now, the underdog squad is finally in the lead, which is perfect timing, one of the athletes noted.

"I feel good about it because this is the last year of Neumann, and it just feels good to go this far," said Matteo, of Fourth and Ritner streets.

The close-knit group won’t be doing any sightseeing in the Washington, D.C., area when it travels to the competition this weekend. Instead, the team just wants to focus on representing its school and city.

"I just want to see what other high schools are like down there," said Wilsman, of the 2900 block of South 15th Street. "It’s a great honor and all the hard work is finally paying off."

DiGiacomo, who competes in the 60-meter high hurdles and on the 4×400 meter relay team, didn’t qualify for nationals, but will travel to Maryland to support his teammates and serve as an alternate.

"I am just going to help them," he said. "God forbid if you have an injury, you always have to have an extra man."

The senior, of the 2800 block of South 16th Street, in putting in extra practice in preparation for next month’s Penn Relays.

This season marks a big change from two and three years ago, when the Neumann track program struggled to stay out of last place in the Catholic League. The Pirates started showing potential during last spring’s outdoor season, placing fifth out of eight teams in the Southern Division championships, and sixth out of 16 teams in the freshman championships.

Through their participation on the squad, the seniors have developed a strong friendship and sense of teamwork that is giving the program new life. McMickens, who also plays on Neumann’s football team, said discipline is essential with both sports. He noted with track, especially the relay events, chemistry is key.

"Track is all about the times, so you have to be close so you can get everything down pat," he said.

Matteo, an All-Catholic tight end, said the track team’s recent achievements make up for the football squad not winning the Blue Division championship. No matter what happens this weekend, the Pirates still have the entire outdoor season to add to their already-memorable year. The interest level in track is starting to increase around the Neumann hallways. On the first day of recruitment Monday, 35 students signed up. Smith said he wouldn’t be surprised if the number eventually reaches 50.

"Now that everybody knows about the track program, more people are coming out," Wilsman said. "Whenever you have more numbers, you do better."

Seniors hope they are building a solid foundation for next year, when the team becomes the Neumann-Goretti Saints. McMickens said he is confident the underclassmen can continue leading the program in a winning direction.

"We are putting track on the map now where something good can happen," said McMickens, adding Widener University is at the top of his list of colleges.

For DiGiacomo, Neumann’s outdoor season will likely mark the end of his competitive track and field days as his chosen school — the University of the Sciences — doesn’t have a track team. The way he sees it, there is only one way to close out his high-school career.

"I definitely want to go out with a bang," DiGiacomo said.