Athlete of the Week: Houston-area high school track athletes ready for state championship run

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- For everyone running high school track, the goal is the same: qualify for state, win, and set records along the way.

"I want to win the state first and foremost. I want to win state," Tompkins senior Blake Hamilton said. "And my biggest, biggest goal is I want to break that Texas state record."

If anyone can do it, Blake can, but track can be as unforgiving as it is rewarding.

"Track is definitely brutal because all it takes is one slip-up and your season is over," Mayde Creek head girls' track coach Damon Bankston said. "It's unforgiving because you got one shot, literally one shot."

The hours of training and sacrifice are all worth it when they get their results.

"I had to give up, you know, hanging out with friends," Morton Creek sophomore Parker Coes said. "I got to finish my indoor season number six high school long jumper all-time as a sophomore, and I plan on breaking the national record very soon."

"Like, I have like no free time outside of track," Klein Collins athlete Andrew Jones said. "It's been my dream since freshman year to be number one in the country, number one in the state, and now it's actually happening. It's kinda like it shows me all the work I put in was worth it."

So now it's championship season, three meets in four weeks, leading to state. It's a grind both mentally and physically, with no guarantee for anything.

"You've worked all year for this moment, and from now on, the engine just keeps turning on, keep ramping it up," Katy Taylor sophomore Caroline Barrow said.

"Not only do you have to hold yourself accountable, but you have to hold your teammates accountable and trust them to execute their job and do what they need to do," Shadow Creek junior McKenzi Roberson said.

Good luck to all who are running, and don't forget to celebrate your much-earned accomplishments.