With New Culture, Monomoy Track And Field Program Grows

 HARWICH – The Monomoy boys and girls track and field team has set several school records this season, and the new best times represent all that head coach Adam Syty has accomplished in the two years he’s spent building the program.

The team’s turnout has risen dramatically, and improved results have followed from the developmental shift that Syty brought. School records have been broken in the girls 4x100-meter and 4x400 relay events and the boys 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800, Syty said.

It’s a sign of hard work and “long-term commitment to building something,” according to Syty, who said he’s tried to instill a culture of accountability, showing up and being prepared, and doing what it takes — not just for oneself.

“It’s a sign of the culture,” he said. “Just the fact that we’re doing all this stuff together, all as one team, that we see ourselves all as sort of helping each other, working for each other. It’s a sign that everybody wants this equally. It’s not just a few people who want it. It’s not just a program that focuses only on a few good people. It’s a program that wants every single kid to develop and be better.”

Junior Thomas Burchell said Syty “basically created a track culture within the school.” 

“I can’t speak highly enough about coach Syty.” Burchell said. “I think he’s a really good coach.”

The Sharks spent Monday afternoon practicing in advance of the championship meet for the Cape and Islands League Tuesday, after The Chronicle’s deadline. After that will be the Division 6 state meet. The number of Monomoy athletes that qualified for states this year has increased from 2024.

At the MSTCA Division 6 relays the previous week, the Monomoy boys team placed seventh and the girls ninth. Last year, both groups placed 14th, according to Syty. 

“I’m really proud of us,” junior captain Sean Needham said. “We’re a little hesitant, seeing these bigger schools. We weren’t intimidated, but we held our own, and I’m just really proud of the outcome.”

The growth of the team can be attributed in part to word getting out that track and field was “a serious program with big aspirations,” Syty said.

“I think as people were a part of this last year and they started to have some success, word got out that if you come out here, you work hard, you’re committed to this, you’re going to get better at whatever that you’re doing,” he said.

One newcomer to the growing program is senior discus thrower Ronald Annis. He said he was “learning from everyone.”

“It really comes to, at the end of the day, how much discus are you throwing and how much work are you willing to be putting into it?” Annis said.

In addition to the relay race records set this year, sophomore Varvara Conley has set the school records in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter events, she said.

“It was exciting,” she said. “It’s always exciting. I love this sport a lot.”

The track and field team has an underdog identity, according to Needham.

“Being a small school, we really use that as motivation for us to keep driving, show everyone how we can compete with these big schools,” he said.

The team is still building and developing the more specialized field events, according to Syty. The goal at the league championship meet, at which Monomoy was previously an afterthought, will be to close the gap with the bigger schools, he said. The goal beyond is to continue building the program into a complete team.

“I think that’s sort of the big story of our program,” Syty said. “I keep telling them, ‘We’re coming. We’re coming for people. We’re ready.’”