Image 1 / 2
Lincoln’s Lenyia Gover practices the discus throw last week. Brian Schoenhals
“I have those young ladies that have the heart and willingness to do whatever I need them to do,” Lincoln coach Mary Rivers said. “It is a team effort and they are willing to give up a spot to allow some one else to participate in it, if they are capable of getting points somewhere else. By doing that we maximize points and that is how we managed over the years as a team to defend that championship.”
The Lady Golden Bears have only competed in two meets this season. In their first ever track meet at home they finished second to Oxford. In their tune up before the Talladega County Track Meet at ASD they dominated as they won in a convincing fashion.
“We have had a pretty good and productive season,” Rivers said. “They are working hard and they are training hard. We have only had two meets. In the first meet we were at home and we preformed very well. We were really proud of them. We went to ASD and we won that meet convincingly. We placed first by 100 points, so I was really proud of them at that point.”
The Lady Golden Bears are very confident entering today’s track meet. Senior Felicia Hansen credits head coach Skylar Mansfield for pushing them to work hard.
“We feel very confident that we are going to win County again,” Hansen said. “We train very hard. Coach Mansfield has us working hard and we appreciate him and what he has done for us.”
Rivers said Hansen’s versatility is a tremendous asset for the Lady Golden Bears. Hansen participates in the mile, the 800-meter run, 4X 800 relay and 4x400 relay. She won the County crown in all her events last year, except for in the high jump.
“Felicia is one of our stronger seniors,” Rivers said.
“She is multitalented. We take Felicia and allow her to do high jump, she is on the 4X 800-meter team. Usually it is hard to convert a distance runner into a sprinter and she manages to do both of them for us really well.”
Rivers believes that the sky is the limit for Leynia Gover this season.
“Leniya has the potential to be a state champion in the shot put and the discus,” Rivers said. “She comes out here in the afternoons and she works really hard, but I also want her to help me develop the other runners, so she is helping me in that aspect too.”
Gover has been a County Champion the past three years, but this season she is focus on being the top thrower in the all the throwing events.
“For the last three years I have been in first place in the discus and the shot put,” Gover said. “I hope to do it again. I am training really hard. We are on weights, so we are trying to further our distance. Last year I was in the top-three in throwing and I want to be No. 1 this year.”
Gover said being able to host the Talladega County Track Meet for the first time in school history is special.
“We wouldn’t have had any of this without coach (Keith) Howard,” Gover said. “He did everything for us. He made sure it was completed. Coach (Chad) Martin stepped in for him and finished everything.”
Contact LaVonte Young at lyoung@dailyhome.com.
