Fighting complacency

4/21/10 2:54 PM

Augustana’s Meet of Champions always provides excellent competition for our team. We had high expectations going into the meet, hoping to come out victorious. However, we struggled as a whole to perform well. Many people are entering a mid season slump right now and are getting too comfortable with how they have been performing. This week we have been focusing on getting back to the basics and, more importantly, competing well. This upcoming weekend will be an excellent opportunity for great performances. Some of the team will be traveling to the Drake Relays while the rest of the team heads off to Whitewater. Regardless of the meet, this is the weekend we need to make a statement as a team. We feel we are a national championship team but have yet to prove it with our results....

Anywhere but the wayside

3/8/10 5:51 PM

We are at the end of the indoor season, and I can’t believe how fast it has come and gone. This is the last week for people to improve performances to make the national list. Most of the people competing this weekend are those that are on the bubble for nationals, as well as those just looking to improve times or distances. However there are a few athletes that are just looking to set personal records for the indoor season. I am still extremely bummed about the result of conference, and I am struggling to get past it. The team took a hard blow losing the meet the way we did. We had a lot of great performances and had a lot of people step it up. Other people may not have performed as well as they would have liked, but that is part of the game. You win some, and you lose some. ... 4 comments

The burden of anticipation

2/25/10 4:44 PM

Two days before the meet and the anticipation is rising among the team. It is my expectation, and that of other older members of the team, that everyone has done what is necessary in order to be prepared for the upcoming weekend. This is what everyone has worked hard for throughout the entire season. For most of the team, this is the end of the indoor season. For a select few, the season will continue in two weeks at the National Championships. As a team we are expecting to compete for the title at the conference championship. We are a strong and deep team that is capable of winning if we perform to level that we are able to. Personally, this will be my last chance at competing at the indoor conference championships. In past years, I have had my ups and downs. I have both performed... 1 comment

Not getting the media's respect

2/23/10 10:08 PM

  This weekend the men’s and women’s teams will be traveling to UW-Platteville to compete in the conference championships. We will be facing a lot of great competition, due to the fact that the winner of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship is usually a contender for the national title. We have one of, if not the strongest, conference in Division III track and field. Everyone will have to step up their game and compete to his or her highest level of performance if they expect to do well. With that said, the men’s side needs to continue to focus on the objective, and not slack even though practice this week is relatively relaxed. There has been some sense of neglect felt by many members of the... 3 comments

Two meets in two days

2/21/10 9:22 PM

This weekend the men’s team has our work cut out for us. A lot of members on the team will be coming back from nagging injuries and competing for the first time in a couple of weeks. While we are still resting a few individuals, the majority of the team will be competing either at Madison on Friday or at Stevens Point on Saturday. Expectations for great performances are high amongst the team and coaches. This is the last chance for individuals to qualify for the conference meet coming up next weekend. Everyone should be shooting to make the Top-24 list for their respected events. Practice this week has been a lot better than in past weeks, on the basis of attitude and work ethic. Many are realizing that is it crunch time. Even those that are qualified for the conference meet are...