Due to a new school schedule, the Concordia College Alabama track and field team had to get up before sunrise to prepare for its 2015 season. 

When the season began, practices started at 4:30 a.m. With the time change and warmer weather moving in, the team now holds practice at 6:30 a.m. as they continue to chase lightning fast times and spots on top of the leader board at upcoming meets.

“This has been the most interesting year since starting the program in 2008, simply because this is our first year not having the 3 o’clock, 5 o’ clock schedule that we normally tend to have,” said track coach Timeka Ross, who helped start the program seven years ago.

The upperclassmen on the team are used to working hard to be on the roster. Every year Ross has her team spend time running up and down the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the afternoons. For a team with a lot of inexperienced track athletes, all of the hard work looks to be paying off.

Concordia is preparing for its third track meet of the season, which will take place Saturday in Rome, Ga. at the Shorter Invitational. The Hornets have already taken part in the Birmingham Southern Invitational in early March and the Emory Invitational last weekend.

Ross said a large portion of her team showed progress from the first meet to the next.

“The times are dropping and it’s due to being able to get on the track,” Ross said.

At Birmingham Southern, 11 Hornets finished in the top 20 in their events. The highest finisher was freshmen Chris Lee, who ran a time of 16.3 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles. Nascri Hinds also finished 10th overall in the female 200-meter dash with a time of 27.07.

The Hornets are also making stride in other events too, like the men’s javelin. Nick Reed, who also runs hurdles for Concordia, finished 11th in javelin at Birmingham Southern but improved to sixth at the Emory Invitational last weekend.

“I love his form,” Ross said of Reed. “I’m working with him on his speed.”

She’s also excited about Lee, who is the first 110-meter hurdler she’s had at Concordia since the program got started. He actually came to the school to play football, but has turned into a dynamic track athlete.

There were other bright spots as well. Sophomore Fred Harris Jr. finished third overall in the 200-meter dash at Emory with a time of 22.3 seconds. Harris won his preliminary heat too.

Ross said she’s excited about the direction the program is going and feels the city behind her as well. She said every single member of the Selma City Council has donated money towards the program this year.

“I’m grateful that they have been supporting our program,” Ross said. “It does [make you feel good].”