Setting the bar high
Track team off to a promising start
Jeniece Gibbs
Issue date: 1/26/06 Section: Sports
While other spring sports teams have just started practice, track and field has already begun their season.
Indoor track and field members attended their first meet on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Otterbein College, and their second meet last Saturday, Jan. 21 at Marietta College. Both meets proved to be a good start for a team filled mostly with freshmen and sophomores.
At Otterbein, senior Gregg Carter set a personal best in the long jump and 55 meter dash (6.63 secs). Sophomore Nicole Bailey also had a standout performance, obtaining an indoor personal record in the long jump, 55 meter dash (7.59 secs) and triple jump.
At Marietta, freshman Katie Shoemaker placed second in the 400 meter run (1:04.73) and freshman Erik Larkin, competing for the first time ever in triple jump, placed first. The distance medley relay team, composed of freshmen Jessica Rizzo, Dana Reamsnyder, Allison Macke, and Abby McCutcheon, placed fifth (14:36.36). Sophomore Mike Echols placed fourth in the 800 meter run (2:04.30), and freshman Mark King placed fifth in the 400 meter run (54.19).
"We have a very young team, but that doesn't mean I'm not expecting a lot," said Coach Steve Shutt, who has been coaching track and field at Wittenberg since 1999. Shutt believes that even a young team can set records and blow away the competition.
Most members who participate in outdoor track and field can be found at indoor meets with the exception of those who participate in winter sports, such as swimming and diving. Coach Shutt encourages attendance at all the indoor meets because he believes practicing with true competition is the best way to improve.
Indoor track is essentially the same as outdoor track and field with the exception of a few events. The 100 meter dash is cut to 55 meters, there is a distance medley relay, and men throw a heavier 35 pound shot put, which reduces the distance it can be thrown.
The team is very close, almost like a family," said freshman Meagan Toothman. "We gather for a pasta dinner the night before a meet to stock up on carbohydrates and to talk about how we expect to compete the following day." The tight-knit family that Toothman speaks of could also be due to the fact that they have all been together practicing since back in the fall.
Practice, including weight training and conditioning, began back in October. Coach Shutt is hopeful that the many months of weight training and conditioning have made the team stronger, both physically and mentally.
While outdoor track does not begin until March 25, the team will compete in indoor meets at various colleges and universities around the state every Saturday until then.
Their next meet is scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 28 at Denison University. For more information about track and field, including schedules, statistics and team information, contact the Wittenberg athletics website at http://www.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics.
Indoor track and field members attended their first meet on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Otterbein College, and their second meet last Saturday, Jan. 21 at Marietta College. Both meets proved to be a good start for a team filled mostly with freshmen and sophomores.
At Otterbein, senior Gregg Carter set a personal best in the long jump and 55 meter dash (6.63 secs). Sophomore Nicole Bailey also had a standout performance, obtaining an indoor personal record in the long jump, 55 meter dash (7.59 secs) and triple jump.
At Marietta, freshman Katie Shoemaker placed second in the 400 meter run (1:04.73) and freshman Erik Larkin, competing for the first time ever in triple jump, placed first. The distance medley relay team, composed of freshmen Jessica Rizzo, Dana Reamsnyder, Allison Macke, and Abby McCutcheon, placed fifth (14:36.36). Sophomore Mike Echols placed fourth in the 800 meter run (2:04.30), and freshman Mark King placed fifth in the 400 meter run (54.19).
"We have a very young team, but that doesn't mean I'm not expecting a lot," said Coach Steve Shutt, who has been coaching track and field at Wittenberg since 1999. Shutt believes that even a young team can set records and blow away the competition.
Most members who participate in outdoor track and field can be found at indoor meets with the exception of those who participate in winter sports, such as swimming and diving. Coach Shutt encourages attendance at all the indoor meets because he believes practicing with true competition is the best way to improve.
Indoor track is essentially the same as outdoor track and field with the exception of a few events. The 100 meter dash is cut to 55 meters, there is a distance medley relay, and men throw a heavier 35 pound shot put, which reduces the distance it can be thrown.
The team is very close, almost like a family," said freshman Meagan Toothman. "We gather for a pasta dinner the night before a meet to stock up on carbohydrates and to talk about how we expect to compete the following day." The tight-knit family that Toothman speaks of could also be due to the fact that they have all been together practicing since back in the fall.
Practice, including weight training and conditioning, began back in October. Coach Shutt is hopeful that the many months of weight training and conditioning have made the team stronger, both physically and mentally.
While outdoor track does not begin until March 25, the team will compete in indoor meets at various colleges and universities around the state every Saturday until then.
Their next meet is scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 28 at Denison University. For more information about track and field, including schedules, statistics and team information, contact the Wittenberg athletics website at http://www.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics.
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