Coach Mikes Blog

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 28 Feb 2008

Lots of  runners are  concern with  their times.  Coach I want to run this fast at this race. Goals are good, you have to have goals in athletics, you have to have goals in life. When it comes to racing, sometimes you have to throw out the idea of worrying about the time and race the race.  The goal should be to beat people,  sometimes you need to adjust to  the race itself.  Most times if you are racing, times will take care of their self.  Training is the hard part, racing is the fun part, the feeling of  satisfaction comes from beating people!

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 12 Feb 2008

I attended the require rules meeting the other evening. The IHSA have passed a few new rules for 2008 track season. The strangest rule? Runners are no longer allowed to wear a watch when racing. This will also apply to Cross country. Don’t ask, because I don’t know.

Another rule change is in the pole vault. The vaulter may now leave the ground as long as they don’t break the plane of the zero point with their body or pole.  Seems this is just going to be a nightmare for the officials running  the event.

Finally the IHSA have decided to expand the track to 3 classes. This was supposed to happen for the 20008 season but the powers in charge could not figure out how to run the state meet with 3 classes.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 10 Feb 2008

I have added links to three different college web sites, where former Wildcats and Ladycats are performing in cross country and track and field.

Justin at Eastern Illinois

Wes and Amber at Illinois Tech in Chicago

Corey at SIUE.

They are all doing a great job. Corey is backing to jumping, at least in the long jump, on his  opposite foot, because of the injury from the state meet. His doctor has told him no triple jumping. He is also running the 400 and 200.

Justin is having a fine indoor season. Was on a record setting freshmen relay team earlier this year. His 800 times are getting stronger.

Wes set the freshmen record this past fall in cross country and was a key part of the team all season.

Amber is in her 2nd year of running and continued to be a main stay of the ladies team.

Also Taylor Hahn is pole vaulting for Rolla, she has had a great career there so far.

in Personal & Practice by coach mike on 09 Feb 2008

Practice was good today. Starting to see some things shape up a little. Some bad news a young jumper/hurdler torn up his ankle at basketball practice last week. Going to see a specialist. We are keeping our fingers crossed. I just liked the way the guys are working. I can’t wait to be able to go outside and get some real work in!

Jon Williams showed up today and will help the throwers a ton. Still waiting on some young runners to show, I pass the word that if you were going to the first indoor, it was time to start showing up. ( I run a loose ship at this time of year.)

Talked to Ryan Knapp or Kidnapp’s parents last night and he is getting better, he had come up with pneumonia and will be out a few weeks. Get well soon and get back on those hurdle drills.

One final thought, and this is for my good friend and co-coach Kevin and his wife Pam. Pam has a type of cancer, that is rare and slow moving. They have been in Texas all week at research center, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with them. Be safe.

The world some days seems to be spinning out of control, keep your family and friends close, so we will have more hands to hang on with!

in Practice by coach mike on 09 Feb 2008

Feb 4th and we are practicing outside. Just a few days before we had 6 inches of snow on the ground and today we are on the track, running. 60 plus degree. Jones is ready to go, he is ready to race. Thats good and bad. We don’t want to peak too many times before the end of the season. Looks like the numbers will be ok, not great but ok. Should be able to put to gather a good team. Need to work on the throwers. Big holes to fill in the shot put.

in Personal by coach mike on 09 Feb 2008

Went to Andy’s visitation last night. Lots of young people there. Andy was in (will always be) a group of good friends, several of them worked with him at Austin’s Restaurant. Guys like Nick, Tim, Jordan, and Linder just to name a few. I told his dad that Andy always made me smile.

in Personal by coach mike on 05 Feb 2008

Received some bad news today, actually started hearing the news yesterday. A former trackster, former employee , and a friend was killed in a car accident. The weather has been really weird, snow, rain, cold , hot and then a lot of fog. Twenty-three year Andy was driving in the fog, missed his turn, was backing tracking and was hit by a truck. Andy was a real favorite. He always had a good outlook on life, always had a smile and a firm handshake. He worked for my family at the restaurant, my mother just adored him. On the track, he was a sprinter for the Wildcats, always giving his best. My favorite memories of Andy took place at Harrisburg. He had ran the premli’s of the 200M, didn’t race real well. Later he was in the 4×200, he lined up on top of the exchange triangle, instead of using the acceleration zone. This was a freshman mistake, problem with that was Andy was a upper class man, of course this messed up the whole relay, messed up the hand offs. I gave him a good chewing. He went on his way, back to camp, took his shoes off, took his jersey top off, was playing cards. They announce the finals of the 200’s, guess who made the finals? Andy, he had no idea, wasn’t ready. It was a funny sight seeing him come running out of the stands, trying to put his shoes on, his top on, while the starter held up the race. I couldn’t chew on him again, the sight of him, falling to start, was just to funny. Thanks Andy for all the good times you gave us. Thanks for always having a smile on your face, thanks for always taking time to talk to your old coach. The world lost some of its positive energy! Love you man.