Titan Track Bulletin - April 6, 2014

TITAN TRACK CLOTHING, ETC.
    The deadline for ordering your Titan Track clothing is tonight (Sunday) at 11:59 pm.  At that point the web site shuts down.  The link is: https://team.sportchalet.com/SHStrack#

FEES, U’S
    If you have not paid your fees and/or cleared and paid for your U’s by Tuesday, you will not be allowed to compete in the dual meet with Northridge Wednesday.

TRACK NOTEBOOK
    Be reading your Track and Field “Bible”.  There will be chances to win $$ if you can answer questions from the various handouts.  The first questions will come from “Why I Don’t Really Want To Power Clean 315 Pounds” and “The Titan Road to Success”.  If you missed practice the day we passed them out, drop by my room to get a copy.

INTRASQUAD MEET
    While there were some very good marks set in the Intrasquad meet held Friday, the highlight was seeing the competitive nature of so many athletes.  Often, this was at the front of the race or in the attempt to win the field event, but just as often it was in the middle or back of the pack in the attempt to set a PR or pass a fellow competitor.  This shows a deep desire to improve and compete against yourself as well as your opponent.  When more buy into this competitive spirit, the entire TEAM will be much stronger.  Great examples of those at the front of the pack are Colten Yardley and Karson Nielson for the Boys, and Sharlie Dimick and Bella Williams for the Girls.  They are great friends, but their drive to be the best athlete possible pushes them to improve and challenge the other to get better.  In the highlight race of the day, Karson and Colten ran 15.04 and 15.08 in the 110m hurdles, the #’s 2 and 3 all-time marks at Syracuse.  They are also the #3 and #4 times run in Utah this year.  Bella and Sharlie not only push each other, but are willing to compete in about any event to help the TEAM effort.  They are both currently ranked in the top-10 in the state in the 1600m, but competed in events such as the 200m, 300m hurdles, 400m, etc., to help their TEAMS.
    Another example of this type of competitive spirit and friends driving each other to improve is Karissa Jacob and Renee Peterson.  Both had big PR’s in the 1600m and Renee also chopped 12-seconds off her 3200m PR.  Speaking of competitive athletes, Nicholas Merriman had a big PR throw of 153'00 in the discus.  This is the #6 mark in Utah this year.  He has marks on the Titan All-Time Top Ten list in five different events.  Blake Taurone keeps showing his competitiveness as he continues improving in several events striving to be the best athlete possible.  There are many other examples of athletes pushing themselves and their TEAMmates in pursuit of excellence.
    Meet results: The “MallNicks” scored 243.5 points to outdistance the “KarWoods” (168.5) and “PurVeeks” (155).  Leading point winners (I divided the totals by 2 for lettering purposes) were: Karson Nielson (14), Suzy Robertson (13.5), Nick Merriman (12), Mallory Ashby, Cidnee Davies and Daunte Atkinson (10), Bella Williams (8.5) and Blake Taurone (7.5).  Complete results can be found at: http://titantrack2012.blogspot.com/
       
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
    Mallory Ashby is one of the A of W as she continues to do everything possible to help herself and her TEAMmates improve.  It’s a rare day when she isn’t the last person to leave the track (usually picking up items the athletes and coaches have left behind).  Suzy Robertson is getting close to some huge times in the hurdles.  Some more hard work on some “little” things will result in some amazing performances.  Our “newbie”, Blake Taurone, has shown that he is going to be a big part of our success.  Each week he keeps dropping PR’s due to his hard work.  While he hasn’t dropped any huge PR’s yet this season, Cody Kelley has quietly and methodically prepared himself for a great final six weeks of his senior season. 

ACTION THIS WEEK
    We host Northridge Wednesday at 3:00 pm.  You will not be excused early- hurry out to help set up and prepared for your events.  If your 4th period teacher OK’s it, you can get out early to help prepare for the meet.
    The Grizzly Invitational will be held Saturday at Logan High.  The bus will leave at 6:15 am.  This has been a great meet in past years with some tough competition.  The goal is to come back with some TEAM trophies.
    Good luck to the Titans traveling to California for the Arcadia Invitational.  This is the most prestigious in-season high school meet in the nation.  Just getting accepted is quite an honor. 

FOUR WEEKS UNTIL REGION
    The Region One Championships will be held at Syracuse High May 7th and 8th.  Who competes?  Everyone is eligible.  Starting soon (hopefully this week) a ranking list for all athletes in the region will be posted.  At the end of the regular season, the top 18 in each event automatically qualify.  Then, each school gets to add two “wildcards” per event making a total of 32.  Your goal: get into the top 18.  OR, work hard and prove that you deserve to be one of the wildcards as chosen by the coaches.  Those who do not qualify for Region, will still compete May 13th at the JV/Sophomore Region meet.

ACTION PICTURES / YEARBOOK PICTURES
    Make sure you check out Kevin Hansen’s great photos at:
http://shstitantrackphotos.blogspot.com/
Also, we will take team pictures for the Yearbook Tuesday after practice. Make sure you have your uniform with you.

ALUMNI ACTION
    Tyrell Yardley won his heat in the 400m dash at the Stanford Invitational.  His time was 47.78.  Jared Ward placed 2nd in the 10,000m run at the same meet running 28:37.36.  This will qualify him for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Apr 9 - Northridge at Syracuse @ 3:00 pm
Apr 11-12 - Arcadia Invitational
Apr 12 - Grizzly Invitational @ 8:30 am
Apr 16 - Syracuse at Davis @ 3:00 pm
Apr 17 - Junior High Meet @ 3:00 pm
Apr 18 - Wildcat Inv. At Woods Cross @ 3:30 pm