Tiger Head Track Coach Mark Erwin is a happy man --- He has 17 of the 27 athletes who lettered last year returning to the track this season. What a nucleus to begin the competition. Their goals include district championships for the freshmen and junior varsity and at least a top-3 finish for the varsity.

Looking at the district, Erwin stated: “Ellison is loaded, Cove has a good track team, Bryan and Temple have some good individual speed, We need to make up ground on the distance, hurdles and relays. We didn’t score as well as we wanted to in those events last year so we have to get the relays going and find a couple of hurdlers. I believe that this year’s distance kids coming in will give us those points back. Those are the areas of emphasis. We need to improve our strength in the field events and we have a slew of quartermilers, those events are really where we will hang our hats. We’re going to work on our weaknesses and make them our strengths!”

His returning lettermen is a list of Who’s Who --- Kyle Chafin, Brodrick Crain, William Emrick, Adrian Henderson, Anthony Huber, Levi Jordan, Jeff Lepak, Charleston Lewis, Tayron Martin, Isaac Quintanilla, Kyle Rhoades, Stephen Riley, Zac Sakaria, Thomas Sholars, Jake Simmons, Zerrick Vriseno, and Darrius White.

“We have the numbers, the kids that have bought into our program,” said Erwin. “Track is hard. It’s tough and it hurts but my mantra is ‘Champions are willing to do things they hate to create something they love’. We have kids who are champs; they proved that by our turnaround in football. I’ve always said since I first got here that when Belton wins its first district track championship, we’ve got this whole thing rolling.”The Tigers have Rhoades in the pole vault, Riley in the quarter mile, Sakaria in the shotput, Lewis and Jordan are returning regional qualifiers in discus.

They should help push the Tigers into the state meet. That’s another goal, said Erwin, to go to the Texas Relays and qualify some for state. That’s the next step...to get some athletes to Austin.

The Tigers have strong senior leadership this year. The seniors carrying over from football agreed to come out for track and a lot will be expected of them.

Erwin is the head coach and will oversee and direct the program, assisted by: Mike Morgan-sprinters/relays; Charlie Lewis-quarter milers/sprinters; David Rice-shotput; David Simmons-discus; Lance Herring & Keith Fuller will divide up the hurdle events; Gary Bunch-pole vault; Ben Smith-distance runners.

Some strong points include Wolf Mahler who could high jump 6-foot-2, unheard of for a freshman; The distance guys, Jose Castaneda, Ian Smith, Cade Brickell, Jose Garcia, Pete Mungia,  Zerrick Vriseno, and Bennie Keener; Coach looks for David Ash to do well in high jump and hurdles; All the relays will be pushing to produce big results and points; there’s Kyle Battle, Garrett Curry, Eric Braeuer and Donavan Williams.

“Belton kids are tough, they’re workers,” stated Erwin. “That’s where we will make gain. They aren’t afraid to get out and work. We won’t be satisfied just to field a track team --- we want to win in every sport and we think we’re getting there.”