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With the winter season upon us, we are brought indoor sports such as wrestling and swimming. Along with these sports are two that are usually overshadowed by the others and their spring counterparts: indoor track and indoor soccer.
In track and field, the length of the outdoor track is 400 meters around, but when it comes to the indoor season the track can be 200 meters in length such as the Mountain Lion Fieldhouse at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) or an indoor track can be 268 meters such as the Cadet Fieldhouse at the Air Force Academy. The length of the track being shorter means that some events are also shorter, the 100-meter dash and 110-meter hurdles are just some examples; these events are replaced with the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles. These shortened events don’t extend to the distance events, yet they are still affected by the length of the track because of the tighter turns, extra laps, and stuffy air.
Athletes looking to compete in the indoor season can do so by joining running clubs; for distance runners you can join the Kokopelli Racing Team coached by Coronado’s distance coaches: Lisa Rainsberger and Andy Potts. As for sprinters, throwers, and jumpers, you can join Colorado Springs Striders coached by Coronado’s hurdles coach Susan Petrelli and throws Coach, Mrs. Stein. Tyler Markel, Class of 2026, gave his recommendation on competing during the indoor season: “They [Athletes] should … because then you do it year-round.” The implication here is that the indoor season can serve as build-up toward the outdoor spring season.
Unlike its spring counterpart, indoor soccer is composed of two 25-minute periods, totaling a 50-minute-long match with a smaller field. Mr. Yeh, Coronado’s Head Soccer Coach, explained some of the similarities and differences: “A lot of indoor soccer is played on turf similar to outdoor, but there are walls. It’s almost like a hockey rink and you can use the walls, you can knock [the ball] off the wall.” Due to the smaller nature of indoor soccer, there are more goals scored then outdoors and less players on the field: “Instead of playing 11 players on a team on the field at a time, we play 6v6 including the goalkeeper, so goalkeeper plus five field players,” added Mr. Yeh. For the soccer lovers wanting to experience this indoor version of the game, they can join Palmer Divide Soccer Club which is also coached by Mr. Yeh.
These indoor counter parts of outdoor track and soccer are a great way for athletes to ready themselves for the spring season and can have somewhat of an extended season of the sports they enjoy.
