All Together Now: Track Boys and Girls Train As One [VIDEO]

There’s little hanging around in winter track.

At least at Swampscott practices.

The coaching staff, led by Joe Tenney and Eric Robinson, has divvied responsibilities to make sure the 130 athletes — 70 boys and 60 girls — stay focused on running, jumping and throwing.

The coaches coach boys and girls as a single unit.

And they coach their specialty — whether it’s distance running, high jumping or shot put throwing.

A look around the airy  field house on Day 6 of practice showed the approach in action.

Robinson had a line of mid-distance runners skipping over the quarter-mile track, runner Alison Carr leading the pack in the calf-strengthening routine.

Nearby, between thuds, Coach Peter Bush hammered home a point to shot putter Tony Silva about extending his leg before unleashing the 12-pound shot put.

Track shoes slapped against the running surface.

Doors clicked open and shut.

Athlete and coach voices swirled high and low in the light-filled, high-ceilinged fieldhouse.

Cross country coach Jeff Bartlett came inside from training the distance crew. Derek Steven also works the distance runners — and high jumpers.

Ralph Souppa was working the new kids.

The specialty coaching alignment makes better use of time, Robinson said.

The single-unit approach bonds the athletes, he said.

The staff tried the combo last year.

Both boys and girls won Northeast Conference titles.

They are staying with the approach this winter.

Day 6 of practice was like others in that the team had only two hours, from 3-5 pm, to use the field house.

As 5 pm approached the basketball team was massing outside the field house entrance eager to claim the court.

Most of the track team was still at it, refining their skills and training their bodies.

The team’s first meet is today at Revere High at 6:30 pm

Big Blue winter track and field opens its season at home next week against Winthrop at Swampscott High at 4 p.m.

They'll be at the meets as a single team, competing in events in which they have received specialized training.