Track and field opens spring season at Dan O’Brien Track and Field Complex
It’s spring, and this means the beginning of outdoor competition for the Vandal men’s and women’s track and field teams.
Nate Mattson | Argonaut
Senior Al Taylor practices his hammer throw Thursday at the Dan O’Brien Track and Field Complex in preparation for Saturday’s meet.
To open the new season, Idaho will host the Mike Keller Invitational Saturday at the Dan O’Brien Track and Field Complex. The competition is Idaho’s only home meet of the season.
The meet’s namesake is former Idaho coach Mike Keller, who earned the Big Sky Coach of the Year honor five times and Big West honors once during his tenure with the team. He coached the Idaho track and field team to five Big Sky team titles in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1995 and 1996.
Current Idaho coach Tim Cawley said he and the team are anxious for the transition from indoor to outdoor season, and he isn’t expecting much to change from his athletes’ performances.
“We’re going to be looking for the same people who have been contributing to just keep doing what they’re doing and performing well,” Cawley said. “I think that on both the men’s and women’s sides, both teams did well competing this winter. They’re prepared, and they’re ready to get going after a month of down time.”
Kolcie Bates, a sophomore from Weiser, Idaho, specializes in the javelin and discus throws — two events exclusive to the outdoor season. Beyond participating in her main events, Bates said there’s plenty to look forward to.
“Outdoor season is my main season, so I always look forward to that starting, but it’s also really fun to see everyone else competing outside for the first time,” Bates said. “Especially the ones who compete in indoor but are more comfortable outside. That’s when you see them at their best.”
Sophomore thrower Juan Medina said competing at home in the open air provides even more of an advantage to him and his teammates this Saturday.
“Being at home is always nice,” Medina said. “It’s where we’re training, it’s where we’re working, so there’s not a lot of added distractions. It helps with our main goals of trying to go out and build on the progress we’ve already made.”
Cawley said the home-meet advantage will help his team this weekend.
“The real thing is just sleeping in your own bed,” Cawley said. “Getting good, comfortable sleep, waking up in your own place, being able to go through a normal routine — that’s where competing at home helps as an athlete.”
Kyle Schumaker can be reached at [email protected]