Coach Mikes Blog

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 20 Mar 2010

Sometimes you get a chance to a make difference, but you have to step up and do what you might think that you are not ready to do or maybe you don’t want to do. I don’t know how many times in the last 16 plus years of coaching that I have seen athletes step into a role that maybe they were not confident with and miracle like things have happen. I remember the first time I ask a 300M hurdler to step into that 4×400 spot, in a pinch and never took the kid out of that lineup the rest of the year. You just never know, but of coarse if you don’t try, you will never know. The meet was very interesting today, hopefully some lessons were learned. You never take anything for granted, just ask Kansas, specially when it comes to competition. What seemed like a snap, something easy last time, can turn into a task that seems impossible for some unknown reason in the universe the next time attempted. Highlights-4×800-much better-Goff and Nix, down where they need to be right now and Clark improving. Then Bullard the sophomore, stepping up to run a very solid leg of the race.Brummet ran great 400M in 53.1 to place. The 4×200 raced well, but had some issues with the hand offs, and not bad hand offs but just the nature of the indoor lack of exchange lanes that messed things up. Cost the guys time and time was what they were racing against. Harris had another good day in the hurdles, went under 8 to get to the finals and then finished right at 8 for and 8th place finish, lots of 8. Hemiover went under 7 in the 55M at 6.97 for his best time ever indoor, he also had a good 200M at 24.1, so he is looking strong. Klop ran a good premlin in 55M H in 8.30. Hess in the pole vault with a PR of 11′6 and just missed at 12′. Nix came back with a good 1600 after his strong 800 split. Hesser had the legend of Peanut Butter Cups take another chapter, leading his heat of the 1600 the whole race until the last curve when he tripped on the guard rail, went down, rolled, got up and still won his heat, right around 4:50. Meador had a good throw in the shot. And finally the 4×400-ran a good time, with a line up change, Conklin had a great first leg, as did Goff and Clark, followed up with a nice finish by Crossland. Nice job. Also Q placed in the TJ and HJ, but had a rough day, which just goes to show, you can not perform at the top of your game and still be better than most. Good Night

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 07 Mar 2010

2010 Qualifying Standards

Girls                                                 Boys

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 06 Mar 2010

High lights-Q Garrison high jump 6′4, Triple jump 42′2. Looked very good and could go 6′6. Anthony Slover 6′2 high jump-PR-great jump. Antonio Crossland 6′0 high jump-PR-another great jump.  Bryce Harris 55 Hurdles 8.11 and 8.20 7th place.  J Brummett 53.32 400M 8th place. Matt Hemiover 10th place 200M 24.2.

4×200 relay 1.39-Harris Hargis Hanus Hemiover

Lets keep up the good work.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 09 Feb 2010

The first meet is close and we need to pick up our workouts. Once the season starts there will less time for strength work, specially for the underclassmen. This is a big year for Wildcat track and field as we head toward a possible 5th straight Apollo Conference Championship. We have a lot gaps to fill. You just don’t replace a Matt Brummel, Jacob Kubicki, Sam Follet, Jordan Jones, Adam Wilkins, Logan Pontious and all the other senior members of last years team. 2009 and 2010 seniors this is your team and chance to add to the history of Wildcat T&F-make the best of what awaits you!

Coach

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 09 Feb 2010

The KCSA will be holding the Spring dinner for the athletes on Feb 23rd. Please plan on attending and let me know if you will be there. I have also notice some of you are not attending your hours in the Success Center, make sure you are putting your hours in!!!! Also be working on those community service hours! You need 20 for the whole year! Start thinking about your spring workouts. Your need to be putting in some miles, planning some road races. Maybe even looking at some outdoor meets you can attend as unattached runners.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 31 Jan 2010

http://www.dyestatil.com//?pg=dyestatil-Indoor-Classic-Home-Page&PHPSESSID=19ef3beaba0979cf65951286015ddb3e

The above link should take you to the Illinois Prep Top Times page for information on the site. Including qualifying times.  You have two chances to make those times, SIU-C indoor and EIU Indoor.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 30 Jan 2010

Where have I been? Right here in the cold, frozen, gloomy darkness of January. Did start track practice, if you want to call, running inside on the tile covered floors of  SCHS practice! Most years, I could set up the first indoor meet after the first day of practice-but not this year! I HAVE NO IDEA! I can put 3 guys on most relays-but don’t know the 4th! Don’t know who the number 2 guy is in most events and you can use 3 at the first meet. For the 1st time ever I may not fill out every event. Setting here pounding these keys- I get do three throwers oh wait-one of the guys is hurt!  Its going to be a very interesting year, I might loose what hair I have left and I’m sure that what I have left will turn gray!  Need some warm weather!

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 12 Dec 2009

Maybe I have hit on this subject before-but I’m getting old and my memory is not the same as it use to be. Anyway here goes-wait what was I going to hit on???? Just kidding!  I went to the basketball game last night to see Salem and Robinson at Robinson. Since TC has been out of HS, I have not been to many out of town games, but I was excited by this one. I had never been in Robinson’s  new gym for one thng-plus I knew this was going to be a good game. I got there for the last couple of minutes of the JV game and was it a barn burner!  Went down to the last seconds of the game-with the Wildcats pulling it out! I think  Caleb Lush  made the game winning shot. On the varsity team Robinson has a 7′ kid that has committed to University of Illinois for next season and wanted to watch him play and see how we try to handle him. The game was a hard played, tough game, with a lot of double fouls called- of coarse being on the side of the visitors the officiating  didn’t always look that good but-you’re on the road-you shouldn’t except any breaks. Robinson won the game and I was impressed with the big kid-he dribbled the floor a couple of times-had several blocks and threw some down. With all that said I’m finally getting to the point that I want to make. I just don’t understand and I’m just not talking about the Salem fans, I see this at all the games-what right does the fans have to yell and scream, call names at, just be plain rude to the players on the court?  The kids are playing a game and playing hard. Yelling at the officials is one thing, maybe even screaming at the coach, but the players? I’m not talking about-”he’s fouling, or he’s walking” I’m talking about rude remarks directed at the player on a personal bases. Watch the game, root for your team and your players, boo the officials, telling the opposing coach to sit and down and quit crying, but leave the players on the court of play alone! Just kids playing a game and doing their best, no reason to rip into them just because they’re wearing a different color uniform.

Just saying!

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 10 Dec 2009

How much is a baseball player worth? The big talk is about Matt Holliday and where will he end up? I’m a big Cardinal fan, so I would like to see him play for St. Louis, but not if it breaks the bank. I think the Cards can field a team that will compete without him. You have 3 All Stars on the team, in Carpenter, Wainwright and of coarse Albert, plus Molina. We just need a another good bat. I really think the whole thing is just a big game-Boras is playing the Cardinals to get more money for his guy and I really think Mozeliak is playing a little bit of a game right back at them. When this all settles Holliday will be a Cardinal. Why would Holliday want to play in the AL, he did not hit very well for the short time he was in Oakland. For what ever reason he is more suited for the NL. I think the whole thing is just one big “card” game and I believe Mozeliak is holding the better hand and will play his “Cards” at the right time and Holliday will be the left fielder for the next several years for the Cardinals.

Back to my world-the world of small stakes and very little money.  I had my first recruit come to the college on Wednesday of this week. That was exciting-Toni Huff from Mt. Vernon met me at the campus, I enlisted Josh Thebeau for help with the grand tour, I thought things went very well.  Toni would be a great pick up for us, she will fit in with us very well. I hope she thinks the same. I’m going to meet with a male recruit Friday evening, not at the campus but going to his home town to visit. If I can recruit this young man, he will be a big addition to the mens team. This process remains me of the free agent “game” in baseball, I only have so many scholarships to give, so should it be first come? Or can I be patience?  Be easy if all the number one runners were coming your way, but they aren’t and they won’t. Be nice to have more than 8 scholarships but I’m sure that is not going to happen with the way money is right down. The state owes the school 2.3 million right now, so the cash flow has to be tight.  So we will just do what we can-I’m not limited to 8 runners, I can take walk ons.  We can have 15 on each team-some schools can not offer  scholarships, so they are all walkons , I guess. Most everyone is finishing up the semester this week, I know a few are struggling, I hope they can pull things out. Later!

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 24 Nov 2009

oK-The season is over and I’m on the recruiting trail, well sort of. Making some calls-pouring over results and times. My past experience has taught me that a lot can happen between now and next fall. I know that Kaskaskia is not going to get the top notch state champion-wait we did have a state champion this year! So that means we can get that top runner.  Anyway that’s what I have been up to. I do hope to have some signees after December 1st.  I have notice that there is not very many Sr girls in this area, so I’m going to have to expand my search to a bigger area. I have been getting some hits from some outside sources, mostly from New York. I have several leads on the men side and are working them, but you never know