The University of Alabama track and field team will travel to to Lincoln, Neb., for the Nebraska Triangular, a non-conference invitational hosted by the University of Nebraska. This meet marks the halfway point of the indoor season and the last meet before the Southeastern Conference Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., in late February.
Freshmen make up a majority of this team, but the youth factor does not worry head coach Dan Waters. He said he sees the potential in the young athletes.
“They all have an amazing amount of talent,” Waters said. “It takes time to understand how to apply their skills and gifts to the collegiate level.”
Waters said the smaller format of this weekend’s meet is just what the team needs. With only three teams competing, the younger athletes get more attention and can focus on technique. It is an opportunity for them to develop outside of the pressures of conference meets.
“We have some nice progression,” Waters said. “We’re coming along, learning the technical details we’re trying to teach them and adapting to the work load, which is much higher than they’re used to in the past. Each week, they’re getting better and more confident as they adjust.”
Despite such a young roster, the Tide still looks to veterans like Jonathan Reid, Krystle Schade, and Wilamena Hopkins for leadership. Jonathan Reid, a junior, won the men’s triple jump at the Indiana Relays Jan. 25 with a jump of 50-7 1/2. Senior Krystle Schade won her third consecutive high jump at the Indiana Relays Jan. 26 with a jump of 6-1 1/4. Wilamena Hopkins, also a senior, finished fifth in the shot put at the Indiana Relays with a distance of 48-3 1/4.
At the Nebraska Triangular, it will take a team effort to win. Only the top two entries from each institution will score, except in the relay, where only one team per institution will score. Individual event winners are awarded as well, but the team score is the focus of the invitational.
Now in his second season, Coach Waters continues to focus on the team. It has been a challenge to balance the team between field event athletes, sprinters and distance runners because redshirting can be unpopular.
“We’re definitely coming up with a much more balanced roster. Average fans don’t see as much with the redshirting we’ve been doing,” Waters said. “We’ve redshirted two male and two female throwers. It’s absolutely starting to resemble the team I had in mind with people in all events competing for titles.”
In addition to Nebraska, Alabama will face the University of North Carolina’s track team. Coach Waters looks forward to this meet to test the team and to instill more technique into the team.
“We’re making technical adjustments. It’s an opportunity to teach. The process is fine-tuned every day.” Waters said. “You are never absolutely perfect. There is always room for improvement – to become better, faster, stronger.”
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