The indoor track program at Stratford High School was started in the winter of 1995-96, also the first season of the South-West Conference. The original coach was Mr. Gary Schmidlin, assisted by Mr. Gary Smith. Two years later, Mr. Mike Sirowich took over the head coaching position and has coached it ever since. In 2000-01, Mr. Duane Shirden was the assistant coach.
The program is co-ed, practices and competes together, but the scoring is done separately at championship meets. Both teams have enjoyed various levels of success at the SWC Championships in the past. Kevin Krankall ('96) established the SWC records for high jump (6'2") and 50m hurdles (7.57) before Joe Lima ('02) broke them at the 2002 SWC championships (those records were surpassed the following year by Bunnell's Vladmir Foster). The boys team won the SWCs in 2000-01, and that year Sarah Mitchell of the girls' team set a new SWC record in the 300m.
In 2003, Stratford won the pole vault (Andre Keuck) and 600m (Sarah Mitchell) for the first time, as well as capturing a top 3 finish in boys shot put for the 5th year in a row.
Four-Year Members
1996-1999: Kim Dolan, Megan Kelley, Becky Knapp
1997-2000: Pat Hughes
1998-2001: Sarah Beauchemin, Joe Tanucci
1999-2002: Stephanie Halverson
2000-2003: Matt Fogarty, Sara Leventhal, Melisa Lucia, Pat Noonan
2001-2004: Matt Melhouse, Tarika Logan
SWC Finishes
1999: Boys 8th, Girls 9th
2000: Boys 5th, Girls 8th
2001: Boys 1st, Girls 8th
2002: Boys 3rd, Girls 6th
2003: Boys 3rd, Girls 5th
2004: Boys 8th, Girls 7th (tie)
