Coach Bolling Gets Indoor Track Rolling

Indoor track is ramping up, and Charlotte Catholic students are joining the team. This season, CCHS track has more participants than ever before with a total of 91 athletes. However,  some first time participants may not realize the commitment level the sport requires. 

Head Coach Nate Bolling creates an engaging and inclusive environment while maintaining order and discipline to develop the best athletes. He has expressed his excitement for the first meet coming up in two weeks at the JDL Fast Track Athletic Facility in Winston-Salem. 

Coach Bolling shares this same excitement with the students preparing for the upcoming overnight meet at Liberty University. Though track season is only in its second week, athletes continue to push themselves during practice in hopes of being selected as one of the 50 participants attending the meet. Coach Bolling loves the Liberty meet because “it’s a fun, fast and competitive meet with plenty of team bonding as students tour the college and spend a day skiing together.”

Although indoor track provides the athletes with exciting opportunities, it requires a high level of commitment, and Coach Bolling does not cut the team much slack. He emphasizes that “an athlete's first priority must be track. All other extracurriculars and hobbies must be secondary during the season in order to have a championship level team.” After two unexcused missed practices, Bolling considers athletes “dunzo,” or off the team.

The coaches want all athletes to attend practice regularly. Bolling notes that “in track there is no gray area or subjectivity. The stopwatch clearly shows who’s fast and who’s slow.” He believes that athletes get out of track what they put into it, no matter their background, fitness level, or their age. Track success directly results from effort, time, and commitment to practice. 

Since track is a no-cut sport, Bolling ensures that there is a track home for all CCHS students on the team no matter their talent level. The team has a developmental team and a varsity team. These groups are divided into A, B, and C teams. Making varsity in indoor track is no easy feat. Runners must race in at least two invitationals, compete at the conference championship meet, or qualify for the regionals/state track meet. 

Bolling strongly encourages these athletes to continue track into the spring. He feels that “athletes who compete in indoor track consistently are more prepared to run, jump, and throw better than their competition for outdoor season.”

  While Bolling also coaches the CCHS Varsity Football team, he feels that “track athletes are the most optimistic, hardworking and fun kids in the entire school.” He is looking forward to the indoor season and is especially excited to watch junior Duncan Smith, an impressive distance runner; junior Virginia Dombrowski, one of the best throwers in the state; and the boys 4x200 meter relay team, which has an impressive lineup this season. 

As the first meet nears, Bolling and the specific event coaches look forward to encouraging their athletes and watching them progress. He is proud of this team and the effort each individual puts into the sport. He loves what he does and feels “fulfilled through [his athletes’] successes.”