From left to right, Dennis Drake, Tim Hicks, and Casey Hanlon prepare for the upcoming spring sports season at Mount Union Area High School.
By SAYDE WISE | Journalism Student, Mount Union Area Senior High School
Mount Union, Pa. — As spring sports begin at Mount Union Area High School, coaches are preparing in various ways for the upcoming season. Open gyms and workouts have allowed athletes to start getting ready before official competitions begin.
Track and Field
Casey Hanlon, head coach of track and field, has hosted open running sessions for athletes who are interested in participating in track. Unfortunately, the snow restricted how the athletes were able to practice, especially when it came to certain events that require outdoor space. During the open running sessions, Mr. Hanlon marked a track for athletes to follow so they could continue working toward their running goals. Competitive events do not begin until April, so the team hopes the weather will allow scheduled meets to take place.
Mr. Hanlon works with each athlete individually during weight room workouts. He helps athletes decide which exercises are most important for their specific events. Although he is labeled as the head coach, he works closely with the jumpers. Over the last few years, the runners have dominated. However, the strongest event can vary each year since track and field is such an individual sport.
An athlete from the past that Mr. Hanlon would like to recognize is Cailyn Skopic. “She was a stunner the last few years. We will miss her severely,” he said. A returning athlete he would like to point out is Caizon Scott.
To get younger students involved early, Mr. Hanlon offers manager positions to junior high students. Through these positions, younger students can participate in practices and find out what they are best at. This has helped increase participation numbers since COVID. This year, sign-ups were in the 50s, which is about 20 more participants than last season.
This excites Mr. Hanlon because he enjoys encouraging athletes to try new events. “You don’t know what you’re good at until you try it,” he said.
Baseball
Tim Hicks is the head coach of the varsity baseball team. The 2025 season ended with a 20–6 record, going all the way to the state semifinals. To prepare for this season, Mr. Hicks hosted open gyms twice a week. These voluntary sessions allowed players to hit, field, pitch, and catch.
Aside from sessions with coaches, Mr. Hicks has noticed that many athletes take it upon themselves to work out with one another. As open gyms move closer to the start of the season, attendance has increased. However, Mr. Hicks noted that a good number of athletes consistently show up.
Mr. Hicks is looking forward to seeing how the team builds together this year. He is unsure of what the season will look like but is ready for the challenge.
Mr. Hicks would also like to recognize the senior class of 2025. “We lost guys who truly just love to play the game. I’ll miss that enthusiasm,” he said.
Mr. Hicks teaches his athletes to give 100 percent not only in practice and games, but also in life. “That is going to carry over—being successful when you graduate,” he said. He takes pride in watching former athletes play in college, enter the workforce, or serve in the military. He explained, “They’re all very successful.”
The goal for the season, like any other, is to compete for a state championship. Mr. Hicks continues to push the team to be the best they can be and is excited to see how the season turns out.
Softball
The head coach for the varsity softball team is Dennis Drake. In addition to coaching softball, Mr. Drake serves as the school resource officer. This will be his third season as head coach and his second year as SRO.
Like the other spring sports, Mr. Drake has hosted open gyms. The pitchers and catchers often stayed afterward to continue preparing for the season. Although he found ways to get the team working indoors, Mr. Drake is looking forward to getting outside for more realistic reps on the field.
Mr. Drake reported strong attendance, with around 42 student-athletes signing up this year. He also recognized former players who went on to play college-level softball. “I think it’s a pretty commendable thing to play sports in high school, then continue their career in college,” he said.
As a coach, Mr. Drake encourages his athletes to set high goals. “The more effort you put in, the more you will get out of it,” he explained.
Mr. Drake encourages athletes to work as hard as they can to reach their full potential. He hopes to see his team continue to grow stronger together throughout the season.
This article was published as part of Ms. Dimoff’s Journalism class at Mount Union Area Senior High School.
Leave a Reply