Snell’s hope was that word of mouth would get around and the Wolverines would have more kids every year.

Now entering his third season at the head of the table, Snell finds himself deep with athletes at every event and showing no signs of slowing down.

“Amazing,” Snell, the Sheffield track and field head coach, said of the early practices this spring. “Obviously the first year you had to get kids to trust in the process. We started with decent numbers, better than expected, but as the kids started to trust and buy into what it is, and how can’t they buy into it? It’s a kids-first program. That’s what we want. We want them to have fun. There’s a lot of track teams out there that force kids to do events. Through these coaches here, that all care about these kids, we coach them through respect.

One athlete who has earned her coach’s respect is Emily Foster. The junior high jumper took first place in the North Tier League meet, earned the top spot in District 9 Championships in 2021, and came in second last season only to go on to defeat the first-place finisher at the PIAA Championships.

Returning letter winners for the Sheffield girls track and field team, pictured, in front, from left, are: Lexi Goldthwaite, Lily Benton, Kadence Steffan and Paris Foster. In back are: Emily Davidson, Madison Connolly, Kassidy Orinko and Emily Foster. Times Observer Photo by Cody Elms

“Well, she’s been on the big stage, at states now twice,” said Snell. “Last year if she would have cleared one of her jumps she cleared earlier, she would have medaled. The bar is very high. Of course, that’s our main goal this year, to get her home with a state medal. Obviously, I know she can do it.”

Foster isn’t the only returning junior ready to make an impact. After a season off, Kassidy Orinko steps back onto the track to bring her natural athletic ability to any event where she is needed.

“She has a great attitude,” Snell said of what he calls the Wolverines’ female Swiss Army Knife. “We have that asset of, we need someone in this event, we need someone in that event, I know she would do that. She has her strengths, and we want to keep her there for those points. To have her back, that’s a huge boost.”

Lexi Goldthwaite is the lone senior on the girls side. The 2021 District 9 qualifier in triple jump, just missed districts last season, however Snell is positive that her work ethic and lead-by-example mentality will push her back where she belongs.

“I would come up here over the summer after track was over, just to walk and get some exercise in, she’d be up here working out all by herself,” said Snell. “She’s very self-motivated, that’s for sure and the kids look up to her.”

Returning letter winners for the Sheffield boys track and field team, pictured, in front, from left, are: Chris Joblon, Andrew Kyler, Dylan Hardwick, Chetty Madigan and Colby Barr. In the second row are: Leihden Wotorson, Alex Eaton, Conner Winslow, Owen Cable and Matt Lobdell. In back are: Brian Greer, Lucas McNeal, Gage Mott-Macalush, Alex Marfink. Missing, Ethen Confer and Andrew Hoden. Times Observer Photo by Cody Elms

For the Wolverines boys, Lucas McNeal, Leihden Wotorson and Dylan Hardwick will be leading the way as members of the District 9 qualifying 4-by-100 relay team. McNeal, who won Most Valuable Athlete at the Northern Tier meet last year, taking first in both triple and long jump, also placed fifth in high jump at District 9 Championships. Wotorson looks to take his offseason training and capitalize on sprinting opportunities this season. Hardwick, like Orinko for the girls, is a Swiss Army Knife for the boys. Historically a distance runner, the junior filled in with the 4-by-100 relay team last season and will have a full-time spot going into 2023.

“(He) lives, eats, and sleeps what the 800-meter school record is and what he has to do to break it,” Snell said of Hardwick.

Snell describes all three as leaders of the growing team. One way the boys side has grown is by adding first-year competitor Connor Finch, a 6-foot-4 senior, to compete in the hurdle events.

“Connor Finch is extremely athletic,” said Snell, “and very similar build to current school record and state medal winner Jason Borst, who also was a first-year senior. Tall and fast.”

The growing and developing program is key to Snell’s list of goals this season, including winning the Northern Tier League title.

“April 13th, Coudersport,” said Snell when asked about meets he’s already circled. “Coudersport was our one league loss last year. That kept us from the Northern Tier title. They have an army. They’re very well coached. They have a lot of kids returning. We’re at Coudersport again. They have as many if not more than us. They’re deep in everything. It’s a friendly war for sure.”

With the increased numbers and diversity of athletes, Snell credits his coaches, whom he’s held together since his first season, for taking a lot of the weight off his shoulders in preparing the kids coming into this season.

“I couldn’t ask for a better staff,” Snell said. “It’s built like an NFL squad. I’m two coaches deep at every position. A lot of it, we have one boy coach, one girl coach, and the kids relate to that so well. It’s great. Here I am shuffling papers and dealing with uniforms and stuff, and I know I don’t have to worry about anything because I have great people behind keeping the kids structured and focused and going. There’s so many good people, and they have the same vision I have and that’s why I think we’ve been successful.”

Sheffield will open its season with two home meets, the first being Johnsonburg on Thursday afternoon, followed up with a tri-meet against Oswayo Valley and Port Allegany on April 4.