rpavich wrote:
"Everyone gathers around" is safe...and reliable.
It may be boring...but it's boring for a reason...it works.
If you don't know why certain poses work on an individual basis or in a group...then breaking new creative ground (in my opinion) is not wise.
If I had a job to photograph a track team, I'd go with safe, and time-proven over "let's see if this works!"
I agree - the most important considerations are you can see everyone's face, the light is good and even for everyone, and the heads are close to the same size. (No getting closer to some people with a wide lens, while others are smaller in the background.) A high vantage point is always good, so you aren't looking up at people.