San Diego Player of the Week : Reyes Finds Time in Schedule for Track Career

As Glen Reyes walked off the Mount Carmel track after the 200 meters, his third event Saturday in the San Diego Section preliminaries, he exited to cheers from the crowd.

“Way to go, rookie!” yelled someone.

“Way to go, super rookie!” corrected someone else.

That may not be faint praise, considering the accomplishments of Reyes, a freshman at Orange Glen High School.

Reyes was the top qualifier for the San Diego Section finals in the 100 meters with a personal-best time of 10.80 at the Section preliminaries. He qualified second in the long jump with a leap of 23-feet 5-inches, 10 inches better than his previous best and the second best in San Diego County this season. Reyes also qualified for the 200 meters with a time of 22.26. His performances have earned him Times Player of the Week honors.

His times are even more noteworthy because this will be the first week he has gone to track practice every day.

Reyes also was a standout shortstop on the junior varsity baseball team, whose season ended last week. Reyes had to practice and play games twice a week, so he couldn’t go to regular track workouts. He also works on track during his physical education period.

Reyes was hitting near .400 for the varsity team early in the season, but Coach Art Warren decided to drop him to the JV because he needed defensive work.

Even on the JV, Reyes had to split his time between track and baseball. Having double commitments almost cost him a chance to run in the 200 at Section preliminaries.

Palomar League preliminaries were held last Tuesday at MiraCosta College in Oceanside. He had a road baseball game Wednesday and one in Fallbrook Thursday. So he didn’t get home to Escondido until late and had to get up early to go to school Friday. Then he had to run three events that afternoon in the finals.

He finished second in the 100 meters (11.1), which automatically qualified him for Section preliminaries, but he wasn’t happy with his time. He won the long jump, but his leap (21-11) was far below his best. Then he finished fourth in the 200, and made the preliminaries only as one of three at-large berths.

“I was all-out tired,” said Reyes, who also was on the freshman football and basketball teams. “I’ve had to learn to budget my time. You teach yourself, ‘When you go home, you can’t talk on the phone. Get your homework done.’ Now that I’ve been through it, I think I’ll know how to handle it better next year.”

But Reyes and Mike Cummings, the track and field coach, said Reyes’ lack of time for track practice had its positive side, too. Reyes said his legs are fresher now than if he had been training hard all season.

“I’m the type of runner that doesn’t like to run a lot,” said Reyes, who will compete against mostly seniors at Thursday’s finals at San Diego State. “I figure I’d burn out if I did. I’m happy with the way it is.”

Glen Reyes

Orange Glen High School

Position: Sprinter

Class: Freshman

Last Week: Qualified for three events, the 100 meters (10.80), 200 meters (22.26) and the long jump (23-5) at the San Diego Section track preliminaries.

Season: Is the leading qualifier in the 100 and the second in the long jump for Thursday’s San Diego Section finals.