As students push through the final week of the semester and athletes across campus prepare for the summer off-season, the Idaho track and field squad prepares for the biggest event of the outdoor season — the Big Sky Outdoor Championships.
The Big Sky Outdoor Championships make their way into Moscow hosted at the Dan O’Brien Track and Field Complex beginning Tuesday May 8.
Idaho will travel to Montana over the weekend for the final meet of the regular season to give athletes one last opportunity to improve before the conference meet.
The team experienced a number of highs and lows throughout the season, redshirting a handful of athletes over the course of the months. Despite missing a number of competitors, Idaho Director of Track and Field/Cross-Country Tim Cawley said his team is in the right place as the season comes to a close.
“The kids we do have are in a great position, I think they are running really well,” Cawley said. “We’ve had a lot of personal bests and are peaking at the right times so I think we are going to go and score some points where we aren’t necessarily expected to, which is fun.”
Cawley said the distance and throwers all look to be in top shape as a number of athletes have peaked while few have been put on the redshirt list.
Although the balance in skill across events may not be where it was at the start of the season, Cawley said creating that balance is something he has been working to build since his start at Idaho.
“That balance will come into a little bit more play next year when we are kind of putting everything we have and going after the title and just kind of seeing what we can do,” Cawley said. “It is kind of the strategic aspect of redshirting so many this year.”
Regardless of talent competing with an Idaho uniform, Cawley said the leadership will still be present and supportive at the meet and has even opened doors for new leadership.
“If anything, we’ve grown some more leaders out of this that we didn’t necessarily have or give an opportunity to. I think in the long run it is going to be really a good thing,” Cawley said.
Sophomore Zack Short has headlined a number of meets and competitions throughout his sophomore campaign and evolved into one of the young leaders.
“I just kind of control what I can and do the best I can for myself and my team and cheer on the other guys and hopefully we get some big performances from some of the other underclassmen and just whoever,” Short said.
As all attention is focused on preparing for the Big Sky meet at home in less than a week, Cawley said the thought of a strong team with nearly the entire team returning to make a run at a championship looms in the back of his mind — a thought that has only brought the team closer.
“I don’t care what team it is, that team chemistry is huge,” Cawley said. “I think they are realizing, ‘Ah, if we really want a championship we really need to come together even just a little bit more’ and it’s been a good realization.”
But for now, Idaho prepares for conference on its home turf with a home crowd. Aside from location, Cawley said the venue itself provides an advantage as it is smaller and makes the crowd in turn look larger for a full-house effect.
A full house only brings more energy and excitement to the event as the athletes compete in the final meet of the season.
“Competing at home with a lot of family and friends around, you should have some pretty good performances,” Cawley said. “Having that comfort and a little extra pride that you are at your home. I’ll be surprised if we don’t have some people come out and score that we weren’t necessarily expecting. I think the team is in a good place.”
Meredith Spelbring can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @mere0415