Glastetter clears hurdles of Oran track

Freshman Haley Glastetter had such a good debut season in track, she may bring about a change in the curriculum at Oran High School.

"We may have to have them make some hurdles in shop class," Oran track coach Wade Sanders.

Now, about a track to put them on. That will require more than a shop class project.

Glastetter completed her season with three Class 1 state medals after qualifying in four events, including the 100-meter hurdles. And she did it without a track to practice on or fellow sprinters on the team to push her.

"I kind of figured I would do well," Glastetter said, "but I never knew I would make it to state. It's an honor to receive those awards. I'm going to try to improve, and I'm not going to be satisfied until I'm a state champion one of these years."

It might be soon.

Glastetter last weekend was fourth in the 100-meter sprint, third in the 200 and third in the 400. The only runners who finished ahead of her in those events were Meadville senior Kaci Sargent, Missouri School for the Deaf senior Chetara Watkins and Saxony Lutheran sophomore Cassie Simpher. Two will graduate and Simpher expects her school to move into Class 2 next year.

"She has a chance to capture it all in all the events," Sanders said. "Someone else could step up, but I think it's there for her to take."

Glastetter has some good traits with which to work.

"She comes from good genes," Sanders said, referring to older brother Hunter Glastetter, who was a jumper for the track team last year; and older sister Kelsie Glastetter, who was a state-qualifying sprinter last year.

"I knew she was a good athlete," Sanders said. "I knew how her work ethic was, which is great. I knew she was very quick, but I didn't know how that would hold out over 100, 200 and 400 meters."

Sanders said Glastetter had another trait that came in handy for state preparations: "She's pretty hard-headed," he said. "She wasn't hard to prepare."

"It was so different, so nerve-racking," Glastetter admitted. "There's tons of people there, but I just had to realize this is it and I had to give it all I had and do my best.

"I got used to being there the first day and realized how many people were going to be there. I knew what I had to do and just did it."

Most impressive among Glastetter's accomplishments was knocking nearly 3 seconds off her 400 time, getting it down to 1:01.58.

"She usually slows down about three-fourths of the way, but this time she didn't slow down," Sanders said.

"I don't even know how I did it," Glastetter said. "I wasn't tired or anything. It was awesome.

"The 400, I don't really like running. It wears me out. I'm surprised I had that good of a time because I'm usually so tired. The 100 is a lot easier for me."

Glastetter, who said she never had been involved in organized track before this year, said she stumbled onto hurdles success just by trying it out in practice.

"I realized I was good at it," she said.

She may extend her hurdling distance to 300 meters next year, or a longer run around the block, since Oran doesn't have a track facility.

"We went over to Chaffee a couple times this year to practice," she said. "And there are a couple of streets we run around over here."