The Diamond Bar High School track and field team started off on the right foot at the Brea Olinda Invitational under the direction of new head coach Malinalli Cooke.

The meet took place on March 4 and both the boys and girls ranked sixth out of the 11 schools competing in  the invitational. The girls placed first in the 4×100 relay and second in the 4×200. Sophomore Paula Williams and senior Juliana Gamboa took second and third place in high jump.

The boys also took second in the 4×200 relay and third in the 800 meter sprint medley. Sophomore Kailen Smith took second in high jump and sophomore Malik Scurlock and senior Michael Blazek took first and second respectively in shot put. Blazek took third in discus throwing as well.

Cooke sees the team as coming a long way considering the lack of coaching staff available to help the kids at the start of the season.

“I would say the first month before the winter sports season ended was a bit rough, a little chaotic. But I feel like at this point now that the season has started and we have almost a full team of coaches it is starting to run a whole lot more smoothly,” Cooke said.

Cooke picked up the coaching position after former head coaches Joseph Beaudion and Sally Jarvis both left last year due to scheduling conflicts. Since Cooke also worked as the cross country coach, she was one of the first choices to take on the position of head coach. Not only did both head coaches leave, but a number of the event coaches also left, leaving Cooke to hunt for new coaches for the different events. Although she is still looking for a long jump and triple jump coach, the rest of the coaching staff is filled.

With students still transferring in and several athletes out due to injuries, Cooke is not yet sure of how the team will look in the future and what its strengths will be.

“We are very heavy on the freshmen and sophomores,” Cooke said. “Usually you want to have a younger team because especially as a new coach because we can build them up so by the time by they are seniors they have progressed more.”

The Brahmas will compete at the Jim Polite Invitational on March 18.