Poll: Does A Successful Football Team Translate To A Successful Track Team?

A Cy-Fair runner competes at the 2017 UIL 6A State meet, Cy-Fair won the 6A football  D2 state title last week

It is no secret that speed kills! Speed is a factor one way or another in just about all athletic activities and it definitely is the major component to track and field.

Speed makes for an effective sprinter, distance runner, jumper, thrower, and vaulter.

It is also important in football and we all know that high school football is king in Texas. The high school football season just completed this past weekend with the UIL state championships crowning the top teams throughout the state.

That leads to the question of how high school football translates to track and field.

Let's begin with taking a look at 2016, In 6A football, 40 of the 124 teams that made the state playoffs were represented at the state track meet. That isn't the most moving stat, but if you look further you'll see that success might just beget success. DeSoto won the UIL 6A state meet and went on to win the D2 football title in 2016. DeSoto also finished fifth in the 2017 state track meet. 

Some of the top 5A throwers get introduced at the state meet

The Woodlands won the 2016 6A D1 football state championship and they went on to win the 2017 6A state track meet. They were able to add the speed to their already potent core of outstanding field and distance power they had to create one of the most balanced teams of all time. 

The final four 2016 6A D1 football teams of Allen, Atascocita, Lake Travis, and The Woodlands were all top track and field teams throughout the season and were well represented at the state track meet and had some of the top sprinters and relays all season long.

We could go on and on with those stats as they get even better as you look through the 4A and 5A ranks. However, something more measurable for track heads to understand are times.

The 4x100 is a key indicator of team speed in track and field. To be a legit team, the measuring stick is the 40.xx mark. Last season, 17 teams ran the 4x100 in 40.xx seconds and only six of those teams were not football state qualifiers. In fact, the first six team who all ran lightning fast times under 40.37, only one of those teams didn't make it to state and that was Waxahahchie. Waxahachie just happened to be made up of all football players for their school and several members of that quartet went on to play NCAA D1 football this season.

Pictured are sprinters from The Woodlands, Converse Judson, and Cy-Fair and they've all had success both in football and on the track

Want more speed indicators?

In the 4x200, seven teams ran under 1:25 and they were all football playoff qualifiers and in the 4x400, nine of the top ten teams were from football playoff teams.

Looking at how things played out this past weekend, things could be more of the same this season. 

Cy-Fair won the 6A D2 title and they finished 4th at the 2017 state track meet, Allen and Lake Travis battled in the 6A D1 title game and they both had some top relays last season. In 5A, Aledo and Manvel both finished runner up for the 5A divisions and they both had good track seasons last year with Aledo scoring good points and Manvel won the 6A team title.

Each 5A track team in this photo has a football team that has had big time recent success in football

So, what are your thought on things? Does success beget success in terms of a good football program translate into a good track and field program? Vote in the poll and feel free to leave your comment on the topic.