It’s the dawn of a new season for the high school track team and, with it, comes the guidance of new head coach Todd Brecto.

While Brecto is now stepping up to the leadership position for the local program, he’s not exactly a stranger to the athletes making up the Falcon track squad.

“I have been working as an assistant coach for the cross country and track programs at FHHS since 2005,” Brecto said.

“I am very excited to take over as the new head coach and I look forward to working with the athletes.”

Brecto takes the helm following the announcement that former coach, Chris Davis, will be retiring.

Looking ahead to the 2014 season, Brecto said he is a big believer in teaching the concepts of setting goals and the process it takes to achieve them.

“The nice thing about track is that events are measurable and quantitative,” he added.

“I sit down with each athlete at the beginning of the season and we set goals together. Once we have set our goals, it’s my job as a coach to give them a roadmap of training on how to achieve the goals.”

Brecto said that he talks a lot about PRs (personal records) with his athletes, adding that its great to see his athletes constantly achieve and set new PRs throughout the season.

Now that the full squad is out of winter sports and rolling into spring, Brecto said he’s looking at a team of about 54 athletes this season, split evenly between boys and girls.

A little under half of the girls are actually freshman, but it’s a big group that Brecto said is already showing lots of potential.

Brecto said he will have plenty of help keeping everyone on track this season, assisted by an “unbelievable talented group of assistants” including Dr. Steve Feyrer-Melk, Stacey Jarriel, Dan Hodge, Jim Blaes and Ken Haugland.

“All have competed at the collegiate level and have numerous years of coaching experience,” he added.

The coaching staff has set its own goals this season, too, namely helping as many athletes as possible qualify for the season-ending state championship.

“The qualifications to get into the state competition are very difficult, but achievable,” Brecto said.

“Last year we qualified 10 boys and 10 girls. The girls team placed seventh in the state and we also set three school records last year. I believe we can break six school records this year.”

To do that, Brecto and his staff aim to hone the skills of each of their athletes, an effort boosted by quite a few highly performing returners.

“I expect great things from returning tracksters Sierra Jarriel, Brooke Yost, Trista Smith, Leah Carillo and Madi Blaes,” Brecto added.

“On the boys side, we have some strong returners in Scott Jarriel, Hayden Brecto, Bryce Kerr and Garrett Sweetland.”

The Falcons began their season last week with a meet at Chaparral high school and will continue on the road this Friday, March 14, at Glendale High School. That meet is set to begin at 9:30 p.m.

While the Falcons are not scheduled to host any of their own meets this season, Coach Brecto said that the team will keep plenty busy on the road.

“We will be competing in eight large invitationals and four multi meets,” he said.

That should give the Falcons plenty of opportunities to hit their state marks in time to qualify for the big event, currently scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 9-10.