We are now approximately 6 weeks out from our first indoor meet and everyone seems to be rounding into descent shape. Being a new track and field program, we will not be competing with full squads this year although we plan to be very competitive with the individuals we put on the track. I was officially hired as the new track and field coach Oct. 9th and have been working with those athletes who have shown an interest in track and field along with the distance and mid distance athletes ever since. My long distance runners will look more towards outdoor and have transitioned back to general preparation and base building. They will train through indoor and possibly run a few developmental races. My mid distance athletes use cross country as general prep for indoor and we will be moving to more specific preparation in the next few weeks and over the holidays. The sprinters, jumpers and throwers have been in general prep and have been in the weight room this fall. We have worked out about 4 times per week and will soon transition into more event specific training.
This is a very exciting time for West Texas A&M athletics. We just passed a student athletic fee that will fund a brand new track and field facility. We are heavy on the recruiting trail right now and hope to have a good deal of commitments come February. Below is the article about the new facilities:
Students Say "Yes" to Sports Complex
Proposal to go before Texas A&M System Board of Regents for approval
Michael McBroom
Nov. 20, 2008
CANYON, Texas – Students at West Texas A&M University voted yes for a recreational sports complex and no to an expansion at the Jack B. Kelley Student Center (JBK). The University will now take the proposal to The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents for approval.
“We wanted the proposals to be decided by our students, and they have spoken,” Dr. Don Albrecht, vice president for student affairs, said. “The students have voted for the recreational sports complex and against the expansion at the Jack B. Kelley Student Center. We respect their choices and appreciate them taking an active role in the decision process. The University’s efforts to improve campus facilities will always take into account student preferences, and we will continue to seek their input and opinions to ensure that the very best in educational opportunities and experiences are available at West Texas A&M.”
WTAMU students voted Tuesday and Wednesday to decide whether the athletic fee and student center fees should be increased for the addition of a recreational sports complex on the north side of the campus and for an expansion at the JBK. In the vote for the recreational sports complex, 964 students voted yes, while 760 voted no. In the vote for the JBK expansion, 739 students voted no and 691 voted yes.
“This is a very rewarding day,” said Michael McBroom, WT Director of Athletics. “I am pleased and very thankful that the students of WT supported such a large project that will dramatically change our campus and the opportunities available for students. Recreational sports will be able to offer a full intramural program with more sports and teams to more participants. Campus life in general will be improved, as will the overall aesthetic on the North side of our campus.’
If the sports complex proposal is approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the WTAMU athletic fee will go from $10 per semester credit hour to $15 per hour beginning in fall 2009 and to $20 per hour in 2010. The athletic fee would help pay for more than half of the estimated $40-$51M construction costs, and donations will be sought to help complete the project.
Construction of the facility will commence upon approval by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. Plans for the complex include playing fields for soccer, flag football and varsity baseball and softball as well as tennis courts, sand volleyball, outdoor basketball courts, a track and a practice field for the WTAMU marching band.
“This is the first step of our facilities projects,” said McBroom. “We can now focus on raising the funds necessary to construct the Athletics Fieldhouse, which is the final piece of our puzzle. The Fieldhouse will provide centralized service and support to our teams, with locker rooms, weight rooms, training rooms, coaches offices and academic support services under one roof. It will match the Recreational Sports Complex as a first-class venue, and I’m certain we will meet this mark, as well.”
Monday, December 1, 2008
Regional and National Championships
Sorry this update is coming in so late. Things have been very busy transitioning from Cross Country to Indoor.
The Men and Women closed the season out with some strong individual performances, but fell short in the team standings. The Men had some personal best performances by Jose Velasquez and Isai Saucedo in San Antonio at the regional championship.
Competing over a 10 kilometer course, Jose Velazquez (senior, Hereford, Texas) led the Buffs with a 74th place finish and a time of 34:12. He was followed by Isai Saucedo (soph., Bovina, Texas), 97th, 35:04; Thomas Harris (sophomore, Amarillo, Texas), 105th, 35:28; Andrew Striley (freshman, Amarillo, Texas), 107th, 35:34 and Jarret Kachel (junior, Hooker, Okla.), 122nd, 36:43. Also competing, but not counted in the team scoring were Matt Kopansky (fresh., Toronto, Ont.), 131st, 37:39 and Erik Huerta (soph., Hereford, Texas), 139th, 38:42. The team finished 19th place overall.
The Women were led by Jennifer Cherono and Kristie Hartsfield with Cherono finishing fifth to qualify for the National Championship meet.
Cherono led the Lady Buffs' with a time of 21.37, 50 seconds better than her previous best time at the distance. She was followed by Kristie Hartsfield (junior, Perryton, Texas), who finished 36th with a time of 23:11 and Allie Reyna (freshman, Ralls, Texas), 55th with a time of 23.53, Belinda Castanon (senior, El Paso, Texas) was 63rd overall (24:13), Becca Rapstine (sophomore, White Deer, Texas), placed 97th (25:23) and Tara Shields (freshman, Spearman, Texas) finished 113th with a time of 27:25 in the 130-entrant field. The team finished 8th place overall.
Cherono finished 62nd at the NCAA Division II Championships in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. The weather was not ideal with snow and freezing temperatures, but I guess everyone had to run in it. Either way Jennifer had a great season and the future is looking bright for WT cross country.
The Men and Women closed the season out with some strong individual performances, but fell short in the team standings. The Men had some personal best performances by Jose Velasquez and Isai Saucedo in San Antonio at the regional championship.
Competing over a 10 kilometer course, Jose Velazquez (senior, Hereford, Texas) led the Buffs with a 74th place finish and a time of 34:12. He was followed by Isai Saucedo (soph., Bovina, Texas), 97th, 35:04; Thomas Harris (sophomore, Amarillo, Texas), 105th, 35:28; Andrew Striley (freshman, Amarillo, Texas), 107th, 35:34 and Jarret Kachel (junior, Hooker, Okla.), 122nd, 36:43. Also competing, but not counted in the team scoring were Matt Kopansky (fresh., Toronto, Ont.), 131st, 37:39 and Erik Huerta (soph., Hereford, Texas), 139th, 38:42. The team finished 19th place overall.
The Women were led by Jennifer Cherono and Kristie Hartsfield with Cherono finishing fifth to qualify for the National Championship meet.
Cherono led the Lady Buffs' with a time of 21.37, 50 seconds better than her previous best time at the distance. She was followed by Kristie Hartsfield (junior, Perryton, Texas), who finished 36th with a time of 23:11 and Allie Reyna (freshman, Ralls, Texas), 55th with a time of 23.53, Belinda Castanon (senior, El Paso, Texas) was 63rd overall (24:13), Becca Rapstine (sophomore, White Deer, Texas), placed 97th (25:23) and Tara Shields (freshman, Spearman, Texas) finished 113th with a time of 27:25 in the 130-entrant field. The team finished 8th place overall.
Cherono finished 62nd at the NCAA Division II Championships in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. The weather was not ideal with snow and freezing temperatures, but I guess everyone had to run in it. Either way Jennifer had a great season and the future is looking bright for WT cross country.
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