Track Teams Build Strong Legs to Prepare for Spring

Author: Erich Kahner

Preparation is the theme for Middlebury's indoor track and field team.
Among winter sports, track and field is unique. Whereas other major sports like hockey and basketball conclude with the onset of spring, the track squad takes to the outdoors to continue their campaign until the end of May. The coaches and athletes emphasize the importance of the winter months as a building block for the outdoor season.
"Outdoor is always our main focus," offers Head Coach Martin Beatty. "We want the athletes to save their peak performances for the championship meets in May."
Although the outdoor season remains in the back of the team's mind during the indoor months, the coaches still expect to see some excellent performances this winter. Meets in January and early February provide the athletes with an opportunity to qualify for the postseason meets in March. Sending as many people as possible to these championships aids the team's efforts in May.
"The longer the athletes compete during the indoor season, the sharper they will be for outdoors," Beatty stresses.
Captain Adrianna Logalbo '03 expanded on this season's aspirations. "In terms of goals for indoor, I think this team should aim to send more people than in the past to the postseason meets, including nationals."
Beatty identifies Logalbo (800- meter run), captain Michela Adrian '03 (5000-meter run) and the women's distance medley relay team as this year's national hopefuls. Last indoor season, the relay team fell one second short of qualifying for nationals.
A year stronger and a year wiser, three of the four (Adrian, Logalbo and Maryanne Porter '04) return this season, and with the addition of Jess Manzer '05, the relay team looks to avoid any near misses.
For the men, coaches expect to see middle-distance specialist Blake Saville '04 in either the Eastern Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) championships or the New England championships. A talented group of first-years joins Saville and other veterans to form a strong nucleus in the distance events.
The sprinting events will reap the benefits of a harvest of fall athletes. Running backs Dom DiDomenico '06, Steve Lazerus '06 and soccer player Brendan Sullivan '06 hope for a smooth transition into the more graceful sport of track. Proven sprinters Tony Garofono '03, Liam Aiello '05, Craig Pittman '04 and captain Mike DeLeo '03 bring experience to this motley sprinting crew.
Speedy rookies join veterans Jess Kosciewicz '04 and Kim Kelly '04 to form what Beatty anticipates to be a strong 800-meter relay team. The jumping events are well represented this year: Tixo Augustus' '06 leaping ability and pole-vaulter Sarah Berkowitz's '05 return from injury add needed support to these vertical aspects of the sport. Among the throwers, Caroline Theriault '05 and a band of first-years provide leverage for the Panthers.
Due to the absence of a 400-meter hurdle race indoors, the majority of the hurdlers find themselves sojourners in other events. During indoor races they get to enjoy the luxury of a course unencumbered by hurdles, but they have to suffer the longer 600-meter and 800-meter distances. These tests in winter will harden their bodies and minds for spring.
Captains Mike Mazzotta '03, Logalbo, Adrian and DeLeo, along with Beatty, distance coach Nicole Wilkerson and field events coaches Dave Kerin and Luke Hotte, generate leadership for the Panthers. A small group of athletes will travel to the Williams Invitational on Dec. 6, but the season begins in earnest with the Dartmouth Invitational on Jan. 12. Until then, the team will continue its rigorous training.