Like father, like daughter. Emma Swanson was inspired to join the Woodland Track Team by her father, who introduced her to the sport. 

“He threw in high school and when I first tried it, I was relatively good for being a beginner,” Swanson said. “So it became my thing.”

Swanson started learning the basics of throwing in 7th grade , and her skill easily led her to the high school’s team.

“I started coming to high school practices with him at that time because he would volunteer,” Swanson said. “When I came to high school, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue so I joined the team my freshman year.”

During the indoor track season, Swanson throws shot put. The shot put is a long-standing track and field event in which throwers have to throw the shot, a heavy sphere, as far as possible. 

“Shot put, in my opinion, is one of the more technical track events because while it does require a lot of strength, if you want to increase distance you need to perfect the form and technique.”

Dedication to the sport and the team is what made Swanson an ideal captain for the 2023-24 season. When she was approached by her coaches and asked to take on the leadership position, she was overjoyed. 

“Being a team captain has always been something I have worked towards,” Swanson said. ”I feel like throughout my time on the team, I have really shown the coaches and my teammates my leadership skills so I was quite proud.” 

As a captain, Swanson dutifully took on new responsibilities that she didn’t have in previous years. It is expected that she is able to make sure that the team stays focusses, especially during warm-ups. Swanson is also responsible for keeping track of all of the team’s equipment, especially the shot puts, and for helping coach the underclassmen in her event. 

 “Coaching the underclassmen has always been a role that I stepped into but as a captain it is now my responsibility to help my teammates succeed.”

Choosing to participate in a sport already fills up a high school student’s calendar, so the added responsibility of being a team captain means that Swanson has to budget her time efficiently. 

“I like to stay on top of my school work, especially when I’m in season for my sport,” Swanson said. “Then, I am less stressed and I also have more time to focus on my other responsibilities.”

This year, Swanson hopes for a successful meet at  NVLs, despite the challenges of competing at the meet with such a small team. 

“I really just want all the girls to do their best and try to do well whenever we compete,” Swanson said. “Our season is short, so it is very important that we are always putting in our best effort.”

Swanson also sets goals for herself, namely, making All-NVL.

“I’ve been All-NVL for the past two seasons in indoor track, coming in 2nd place both those years,” Swanson said. “So, this year I would really like to place first and qualify for Nationals.”

Under the coaching of her father, Swanson sets ambitious goals for herself and still has plenty of drive going into the rest of the season. 

 “I’ve put in a lot of work for the past 4 years and I’ve set some goals for myself that I will hopefully achieve by the end of the season.” 

Swanson describes the indoor track team as “lively,” “friendly,” and a “positive environment.” The closeness of the team is what gives them the ability to go far this year, especially under leadership like Swanson’s. But to accomplish these goals, Swanson’s advice is to stay focused. 

“It’s important to stay focused and try your best,” Swanson said. “Even on the tough days.”