Greg LevinskyComing off a breakout season on the soccer pitch, Belmont High School Junior Andrey Leschiner joined the indoor track team with a simple goal: to stay in shape after finding his footing on the varsity level in his primary sport.
A few months later, much to the 17-year-old’s surprise, Leschiner loves track so much so that he might pursue it in college.
“I found out I’m not too bad, and it’s kind of shifted where it’s not a secondary thing just to keep up my fitness,” Leschiner said. “It’s another activity on the forefront, along with soccer.”
While up to 30% of youth athletes play one sport — known as “sports specialization” — the Belmont High School indoor track and field programs boast a number of student-athletes bucking that trend. Marauders boys indoor track coach Eric Ahern, also a French and Spanish teacher, estimates about 50% of team members play another sport at the school.
“Traditionally at Belmont, the track program had been quite strong for a long time, but we aren’t really close to the teams like Lexington and Woburn, so we really focus on the kids trying to get the most out of themselves,” said Ahern, who is in his first year as boys head coach. “The focus is really about showing up, putting in the work, and watching their personal bests throughout the season.”
About 70 boys and 80 girls participated in indoor track this winter. About 25% of students on the indoor track team run all three seasons — cross country, indoor, and outdoor — and close to 50% run two out of three seasons.
“The kids who do cross country, indoor and outdoor track are more the exception to the rule,” Ahern said. “It’s super fluid, and that’s what I think is nice about high school, just getting to try all these sports.”
For example, in addition to Leschiner, senior Jacob Lubetsky plays lacrosse. Classmate Austin Lasseter, a talented high jumper and long jumper, plays wide receiver on the football team. On the girls side, junior Mira Gardner plays soccer in the fall and rugby in the spring. Classmate Dana Lehr, who won the MIAA Division II individual 800-meter title in outdoor track last spring, also plays soccer. Sophomore Fiona Rodriguez-Clark plays lacrosse in the spring.
“On the team, there’s a group of girls who are runners through and through and another [group] who do a mix,” said Rodriguez-Clark, 15. “Any athlete who isn’t doing a winter sport and has the time should do track. It’s pretty low stress, lots of fun, and a great opportunity to meet more people.”
Leschiner finished second on the BHS boys soccer team in scoring last fall, helping the Marauders to the MIAA Division I tournament quarterfinal round. He also plays ultimate frisbee in the spring. A standout in the 300-meter race and 4×200 relay, Leschiner turned to track this winter to maintain his running form from the soccer season. Track quickly turned into a passion.
“Some sports require more specific skills; soccer, you play with your feet; football, you have to throw the ball accurately. But all of them require athleticism,” Leschiner said. “Track is purely speed and endurance and lends itself very well to building a base for any other sport. Specializing in one sport or one skillset is kind of a shallow way to go about athletic activities.”
Rodriguez-Clark started running track as a freshman last year, following in the footsteps of her older sister Maya Rodriguez-Clark, who graduated in 2022, after running track all four years and captaining the team. The younger Rodriguez-Clark, who runs the 55-meter dash and 4×200 relay, 300 and long jumps, joined track to stay in shape for lacrosse. She says conditioning drills with her friends are more fun than working out alone. She loves the team’s camaraderie and how it provides an opportunity for athletes of all abilities.
Rodriguez-Clark isn’t sure if she’ll play a college sport yet, but plays club lacrosse year-round. A cellist in the Belmont High School orchestra and a New England Conservatory preparatory school member, she wants to find a connection between music and her favorite subject, math, for a profession. Never one to take much time off of activities, indoor track helps keep her going throughout the cold winters.
“If I have a lot of space in my schedule, I get bored, and it’s harder to motivate me to do other things,” Rodriguez-Clark said. “When I get out and exercise with my friends, it makes me more productive at home.”
