Is Watauga’s Track Surface Up to Standard?

Watauga’s track as seen from just outside the concessions/bathrooms. While the simple black and white surface is iconic, its quality and viability raise questions and concerns. 

Photo Credits: Isaac James

Isaac James, Community Desk Lead for The Powderhorn

Watauga High School’s Track and Field is an institution. State, regional, and conference championships are just a few of the honors that the program holds to its name, with storied successes both past and present. Just this past year, Watauga’s men and women’s teams both took home 2nd place in Outdoor Track, while the women finished as champions in the Indoor Track season. 

While the pedigree of the Watauga T&F is undeniable, the caliber of the track facility itself is often the subject of scrutiny. In light of this, athletes and coaches alike wonder if the current state of the track isn't a hindrance to the team’s abilities. 

“The most noticeable issue, especially when doing track workouts, is unevenness in different areas,” said sophomore track athlete Parker Williams. “It can mess up your stride as you run, which is obviously a big issue for our track athletes.” 

In the eyes of Watauga’s track athletes, these fundamental issues go as far as to disrupt the flow of practice, making workouts harder than they should be. 

“The majority of the track is outdated,” said Williams.  “Because the track has holes and other uneven spots, running workouts can be made a lot harder.” 

Much of the discontent surrounding the state of the track is centered around its age. Track Head Coach Scott Townsend has years of experience working on Watauga’s track and has noticed the same core issues becoming exacerbated by continued and extensive use over time. 

“The current track is original to the school which was opened in 2010. That makes the track now 16 years old,” said Townsend. “Recommendations for track life of a rubberized track like Watauga are 15-20 years. So by that recommendation, we’re overdue.” 

Beyond just the age, though, one of the primary concerns for the longevity of Watauga’s track comes from the sheer volume of usage. Between Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track, and even non-running sports, the track is constantly being used in different ways. 

“Soccer and football teams routinely set up in lanes 1-2 for games and practices, which are the highest use lanes,” said Townsend. “Indoor and outdoor track have upwards of 150-200 participants, plus middle school track which brings 130 participants.”

Alongside the unique climate issues the High Country poses, the track is constantly subject to wear and tear year-round. While measures have been taken to repair the track here and there, these have been like band-aids over a larger wound. 

“There have been attempts as early as last Spring to patch large areas of need on the track, but we can already see additional spots being revealed,” said Townsend. “The biggest issue with the track as current is the high usage areas such as the start line, lanes 1-4 and the 100m start lines. Track is peeling up and pieces of the track can be found littered around the stadium where they have been torn up by various entities. There are also several deep crevices that span the entirety of lanes 1-8.” 

Glue seeping out from under the track near the away support bleacher area, demonstrating the temporary nature of repairs as yet. Photo Credits: Isaac James.

Due to these issues, the Watauga Track coaching staff did not deem the track suitable for competition this past year, eschewing home competition for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We felt that last outdoor season there were enough issues that we didn't feel comfortable hosting home meets,” said Townsend. “We have since remedied some of those issues: new shot put toe board, discus throwing ring, PV mats, track patches, and plan to host some in the upcoming season.”

This lack of confidence in the track surface extends beyond the coaches. Through their hours of practice, Watauga’s track athletes have come away with the same conclusion.

“I don't think we're meeting a standard of quality where we can hold good meets,” said Williams. “The quality of the track and of our equipment for other events isn’t enough right now.”

In the face of new programs being greenlit and existing programs receiving renovations, the track stands out as a multi-use area in need of attention. 

“We have seen recently there is a plan for resurfacing the baseball field in turf to support the baseball program and newly created flag football program. We are excited for those programs and are excited for their improvements, but the reality is that those are single use areas for only those teams and not other sports,” said Townsend. “Our track is used for community events, physical education classes, clubs, and other sports teams. While from an outside view the track looks operational, a closer inspection of the quality of the track would suggest a different perspective.” 

Resurfacing a track is no small feat. Both coaches and athletes alike recognize that the task would be an undertaking requiring time, money, and effort. In spite of this, Watauga Track’s recent successes have inspired new motivation for meaningful renovations. 

“I recognize this would be a substantial cost to the county but also recognize it has been 16 years,” said Townsend. “Considering that track is the most successful sport at WHS, more attention to the track I feel is warranted.”