TRUCKEE, Calif. – As the Truckee High School track and field team prepares for the Northern Nevada 3A Regional Championships this Friday and Saturday at Douglas High School, Head Coach Sarah Hockensmith says the Wolverines are coming off one of their most competitive seasons in recent memory.

“This season, at least on the sprints and field side, we’ve been the most competitive we’ve been in a really long time,” Hockensmith said. “We’ve already broken multiple school records.”

Truckee athletes have indeed rewritten the record books this spring. On the boys’ side, new school bests have been set in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, pole vault, 1600, and 3200 meters, with the 4×100 and 4×200 relay records also within striking distance. The girls team shattered the school record in the discus.

Among the standout performers is senior Jace Estabrook, who now holds school records in the 100, 200, and 4×100 meters. He’s joined by Joe Birnbaum, top seed in both the 110 and 300-meter hurdles, and Kiefer Wilcox, who leads the region in the 1600 by more than a minute. Wilcox, already the school record holder in the 1600 and 3200, is on pace to break the 800 record this weekend.

While Truckee’s speed and strength have translated into major wins, Hockensmith says the program’s deeper success lies in its commitment to personal growth, mental resilience, and an inclusive team culture.

“We focus on self-improvement. We praise personal records over first-place placements,” Hockensmith said. “There’s always going to be someone faster and someone slower. Comparing yourself to others is the biggest thief of joy.”

That mindset is the cornerstone of a coaching philosophy built on confidence, goal-setting, and athlete-driven motivation. Hockensmith says she values creating a supportive environment where athletes are encouraged to push their limits—not just for medals, but for themselves.

“I’m very pro-kid instead of pro-coach’s way. I listen to what makes them happy and use that to motivate them,” she said.

Mental toughness is equally emphasized. Hockensmith trains her athletes to develop positive self-talk and resilience—traits she says are as essential as physical training.

“Traditionally with the sport of track and field, it’s always been like, run a lot, run a lot of intervals,” she said. “But we’ve kind of broken it down to just a lot of speed work. Less injury, more motivation. It keeps kids coming back.”

This approach has paid off even under challenging conditions. With snow-covered facilities for much of the season, the Wolverines often practice in the school’s basketball gym, using resistance bands and stationary drills. Many don’t run on a track until their first meet.

“Imagine practicing football inside a basketball gym,” Hockensmith said. “That’s what we do. We make it work.”

Despite those limitations, the team continues to share its space and equipment with athletes from North Tahoe High School, Incline High School, and the local middle school.

“We could easily use our equipment all to ourselves,” Hockensmith said. “But we arrange it so a lot of kids from different schools can benefit.”

Hockensmith says winning isn’t the goal she stresses to her athletes.

“I haven’t told the kids, ‘we need to win,'” she said. “Let’s put all our cards out there, do our best, be great teammates—and see what happens.”