Girls Squad Primed For Success: Coach McAdams Channels Hamann’s Legacy Into Hawks' Track and Field Success

CARROLLTON - Carrollton Girls Track and Field Coach Angie McAdams once served as what she has described as one of legendary Coach Dick Hamann's track girls. The hand-picked assistants helped Coach Hamann at meets with some very important tasks that made the various Carrollton meets under Coach Hamaan go smoothly from the county, conference and invitational events.

Coach Hamann-directed track and field meets ran on time and always without a hitch back in his cinder-track days.

Hamann served at the school for more than 50 years and the track carries his name - the Richard G. Hamann Memorial Track. He was inducted into the Illinois Coaches Hall of Fame for track and field and basketball. Hamann died in 2010. There were so many former basketball players and track and field athletes in attendance that a memorial service for him had to be held in the Carrollton High School Gymnasium. Photos adorned the gymnasium with pictures of the team members, he had kept over all the years. It was a very moving and emotional experience for his family and those he had coached.

McAdams, who today is the head girls and boys track coach at Carrollton, said she has a solid girls and boys squad nucleus with 15 girls and 11 boys on the 2024 team. Coach McAdams said she bases a lot of her coaching techniques and things she learned from the legendary Hamann.

Coach McAdams describes both the girls and boys team members as a "great group of kids all around."

Abby Flowers has tossed the shot put 32-0.75 inches, which was April 6, 2024, at the EAWR Invite. Flowers also has a 14.9.5 in the long jump. She has a best of 13.84 in the 100 meters. Harper Darr has a best in the 100 hurdles of 19.44.

McAdams said the Hawks girls 4 x 100 relay team is definitely special. The girls executed their handoffs almost in perfect fashion and stood out at the EAWR Invite with a large number of schools present.

"They are quick, athletic, and most importantly mesh well together," she said. "They practice hard individually and with their relays, as they are all in both the 4x100 and 4x200. I knew Calie Field was going to be a standout in sprints, from our first practice her freshman year.

"Abby Flowers is not only fast but strong. She's improving and winning every meet with her shot put throws."

The 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relay members are junior Field, junior Flowers, junior Harper Darr and sophomore Mabry Robeen.

Field is having a fantastic season in the spring with a P.R. of 12.94 in the 100 meters. She was third in the East Alton-Wood River Invite with a time of 13.22. Field's best in the 200 is 27.14 in a dual against Franklin and Greenfield Northwestern. Field joins Harper Darr, Abby Flowers and Mabry Robeen in the 4 x 200 relay. The 4 x 200 relay group of the same girls recorded a time of 1:56.14 in the East Alton-Wood River Invite.

Tessa Price has clocked a 3:12.6 in the 800 meters this season.

Coach McAdams said she expects the key girls on her squad to perform well in the postseason. It wouldn't come as a surprise to see the relays and some of the individuals qualify for the state track and field meet this season.

The beauty of this team is how the coach - Angie McAdams - has carried on the long track and field tradition established at Carrollton.

The Carrollton girls have absorbed her track and field philosophy and watching the relays it is obvious hours upon hours of practice have gone into those spring exchanges.

If someone wants to watch a relay in perfect unison, pay a visit to one of the Carrollton Lady Hawks' upcoming track and field meets. A prime motivator is Coach McAdams, who learned her philosophy from one of Carrollton's greats - Coach Hamann.

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