KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. - The Indiana State track & field teams will compete at the Eastern Illinois University Friday Night Special this week, the final tune-up before the 2012 State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.
"Every meet during a season is important as we build momentum for the conference championships," John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field coach, said. "The uniqueness of our sport is that we can have a weekend like this to help us be bettered prepared for the conference."
The field events will open the competition at 3 p.m. (ET) Friday in EIU's Lantz Gymnasium beginning with the weight throw and shot put. That will be followed at 3:30 p.m. (ET) by the long jump and triple jump with the pole vault starting at 4 p.m. (ET), and the high jump at 6 p.m. (ET).
The track events open with the 5,000 meter run at 4 p.m. (ET) followed by the preliminaries of the 60 meter hurdles at 4:40 p.m. (ET). The rest of the events will follow on a rolling schedule and should conclude at approximately 10 p.m. (ET).
Not all members of the Sycamore team will be in competition Friday as some are being rested ahead of the conference championships. Others will be competing for a spot on the MVC roster or attempting to improve their performance to receive a better seed in the championships.
"Those who go will be there to tune-up, stay sharp and keep their competitive edge," Angela Martin, Indiana State women's track & field coach, said. "Others will be after a spot on the MVC roster while others will be in competition to ready them for the outdoor season."
The success of a track and field team, especially in conferences like the Missouri Valley, is judged not on what they have done throughout the season but what they do in the conference championships.
"I really prefer that attitude," McNichols said. "You can win all your meets, do poorly at conference and it is a bad season. On the other hand, if you do not do well in all your meets and excel at conference, it is a good season."
McNichols said that it takes a complete team effort to win conference and that success comes from the preparation in practice and in competition.
"Last year we had 29 of the 32 competitors score at both the indoor and outdoor championships," McNichols said. "And we won both titles. I don't know if we will have that kind of success this year but that is what we are working towards."
The 2012 State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships will be contested at the University of Northern Iowa on Feb. 25 and 26.
