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Post date: Mar 20, 2016 3:15:16 AM
Falling during the anchor leg of the 4x200-meter relay after another team’s athlete interfered could have been the start of a great story.
When that was over, the now-sore anchor leg then cleared the next height in pole vault on the first try. Another key part in what could have been a great story.
Minooka was to rerun the 4x200-meter relay at the end of the meet all by themselves. Running fast enough could have scored enough points to take the Indoor SPC Championship. It could have been an end to a great story.
It wasn’t.
The 4x200-meter relay didn’t run again at the end of the meet. It was a coaching decision. They wouldn’t have scored enough points to win the meet, and it wasn’t worth the risk to the athletes who had just battled in the 4x400-meter relay.
Minooka finished third in the meet behind champion Oswego East and runner-up Plainfield North. What was great about that? What could have happened.
Several scenarios were discussed after the 4x200-meter relay incident. Do we ask the 4x200-meter runners to power through in the rerun after just finishing running the 4x400-meter relay? Do we change the lineup of the 4x400-meter relay so the 4x200-meter relay runners can instead be fresh? Do we pull athletes from other events they might not score in to substitute for those runners in the 4x400?
Names of five different girls immediately came to to mind who were legitimate possibilities to help make these ideas a reality. Would they have run hard? Yes. Would they run fast? Yes. Would they have hesitated to help out? No.
None of these scenarios happened. But they could have. And what is great about that is Minooka has athletes who would be willing to step up or change direction to do whatever was needed in the best interest of the team. That is great.
The unexpected drama that was the 4x200-meter relay situation revealed a strength in the team. A silver lining.
But enough about that.
There were plenty of excellent performances by Minooka at the SPC meet. The Indians scored as many points or more as they were supposed to (based on seeds) in every event on the track except two — the 4x200-meter relay being one of those. Girls stepped up.
They set a meet record time in winning the 3200 meters.
They won the high jump.
They won the 4x800-meter relay.
They set a freshman and freshman-sophomore record in the 55-meter dash.
They set numerous personal bests in events ranging from the open mile to the long jump.
Those weren’t enough to win the meet. But they are something to continue to build on as the outdoor season begins. Improvement is needed. And if done properly, a third-place finish at the Indoor SPC meet can be a part of a larger great story.
Go Indians.
– Coach Thomas
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