LAURINBURG — When Charles Gunnings took over the Scotland High School track program last year, he had all kinds of plans and goals in mind.
Gunnings, who ran track for Scotland in the early 1990s and was part of the school’s state championship track teams in 1989 and 1990, wants to return the team to the same consistent level of success that it had then.
“It was a family back then,” Gunnings said. “We understood what track was about, and a lot of people think they can run track until they get out here.”
However, the current team was only able to participate in one meet last spring before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down and prematurely ended the season. So, Gunnings considers this season to be his “actual” first season
Returning to the top, according to Gunnings, starts with making track something that boys and girls want to participate in again.
“It’s hard to teach ‘want-to,’ and I think we have a group of guys and girls now that want-to,” Gunnings said. “We could try to get the whole football team out here if we could, but if they don’t want to, then that’s not what we want. We want people that actually want to run track and compete for us.”
Even though Scotland was only able to have one meet last year, Gunnings was able to generate enough interest to build a foundation.
“Some kids got a taste of it,” Gunnings said. “The whole time through the offseason, all I got were texts and emails asking ‘when is track starting?’ That’s when I knew we had something.”
With only four seniors on a team of about 20-30 athletes, Gunnings said the team’s youth bodes well for the future.
“We have a lot of young kids, but that’s a good thing because we have a lot of stuff to work with,” Gunnings said.
To help Scotland reach its lofty goals, Gunnings, along with fellow coach Scott Barbour, have compiled a coaching staff consisting of, Shaquille Ray, who ran track for UNC-Pembroke, Dominique Green, who has also previously run track for Scotland, Miguel Debay and Dawson Shelley, who will help coach distance runners.
“We have coaches that ‘want to’ and have actually been there,” Gunnings said. “Me and Coach Barbour, we couldn’t do it without them. We’re only as strong as our weakest link, and those guys are definitely strong for us.”
So far this season, Scotland has competed in three track meets, most recently hosting one Wednesday and competing against Pinecrest, Lumberton and Purnell Swett.
The boys’ team took second-place at Wednesday’s meet behind Pinecrest, while the girls’ team took third behind Pinecrest and Lumberton. Most of the boys’ points came from the sprinting events, the hurdles and the jumping events, and most of the girls’ points came from the hurdles and relay races.
“From day one, I’ve seen great progress — I’m proud of these kids,” Gunnings said. “They’re kids and they’re coming together. They need to understand that track is not always individual, we have to run for the team, as well. So that’s what we’re trying to teach them and they’re doing a good job so far. I think in the long haul, we’ll get it back.”