Transcript
with us on Coach's Corner here on KWBG. Going to talk some Madrig girls track today. Kelly growth is joining us as the Tigers. Can't believe it's almost first meet time. Kelly, I suppose you got some kids kind of itchy and ready to go though, right? We do.
We were definitely ready for our indoor competitions and they're very excited for the meet on Thursday. And we're really excited that the weather's going to hold out.
We don't always get an early bird meet in, um, weather in Iowa and March, you know, it could be snowing, it could be 80 degrees. So we're thankful we're going to get about a nice 70 degree day tomorrow to go down to a dial and compete with, with these first meets Kelly.
And I know we've talked about this in the past, but I always kind of like to refresh my memory just a little bit. What are your thoughts on first, uh, you know, these first meets? What do you want to see? What do you do?
You just kind of get kids in a bunch of different events or, or what are you looking for? Yeah, I really liked the early bird meets. They usually allow extra entries. So that's great that we can just get out and see everyone.
Um, I asked yesterday, once we gave the lineup for the kids to give me feedback, if there's something they really wanted to run and we didn't put them in it, um, to let me know so we can try to work that in.
If not this meet, try to work it in early in the season so we can see where they are just because we know what someone could do last year doesn't mean that they don't have a different strength this year. Um, and also have the conversations too.
If they want to be a, you know, a 100 meter runner, but we've got plenty of those. And we see potential in the 400 or something.
We want to have that conversation with kids, but the biggest thing for the early bird meets for me is just to see the kids running different events, trying things.
I told our jumpers, I don't care if you scratch every jump, but this is our opportunity to get out and practice and see what competing is like and see where we are and what we still need to improve on because we saw a long season ahead of us, um, lots of great competition with the bigger schools at ADL too.
So really it's just a preview. I love that there's no pressure of keeping teams score or anything like that. To just get out and, and compete, um, and get that opportunity that's in practicing for four weeks and they're ready to go.
I got to imagine too Kelly, some of these kids are probably tired of running against their friends. You know, I mean, after a while you kind of know where you sit when it comes to. Okay.
She's just a little bit faster than me in the 200, but I'm real close to her, you know, beating her in the a hundred. Now you kind of see, okay, how good are we against? Like you talked about some of the bigger schools. Yeah, definitely.
The whole point of the sport is to compete and beat other people. Um, so we have to have the opportunity to do that. And the motivation is very different when it's someone wearing a different Jersey than your own team. I know it's March 25th.
I know it's super early, but Kelly, you've had a chance at least to see the girls so far indoors and also outdoors. If I had to ask you where's the strengths that you see right now for matter girls track, what would you say today?
Well, we were very well rounded last year at the state meet. We scored points in field events. We scored points in throws, sprints in distance. So our strength is probably how well rounded we are.
Um, we're definitely heaviest in the distance, having had a top five state finishing cross country team, the last three years we're bringing those girls to the track team. So it's nice to be able to fill both the 3000 and the four by eight. They're so close together.
It's hard to do both. Um, and be able to have kids who are very versatile, be able to, you know, do one event, one meet, and then the next meet, try something else and still have people to fill all the spots. So at the same time, as I just said, it's about competing and winning.
It's also about trying new things and being a team and working together and doing hard things. So I love that we have so many people to move around there. Um, Lauren Dvorak and the shot and the desk will be really exciting to watch.
She placed fifth in the shot at the ITC indoor championships. And I'm really excited to see her throw the discus. That's not an event we can do indoors.
And we're returning returning page Richards, um, as well, who is the state champion in the a hundred meter dash and runner up in the 200 and those long jumps. So just having some really key players on those distance runners.
Um, the last four years we've had nine all state appearances from the girls at state cross country. So they all bring some experiences and strengths that hopefully the younger kids can learn from and see people all across our lineup contributing, not just any one certain area.
I'm glad you brought up the young, you know, the young runners too. And I know we just talked about some of the, uh, the veterans in here. It sounds to me like you're pretty excited about what this, uh, this freshmen and sophomore group could do. I am. They're very motivated.
They're really hard workers and have transitioned extremely well to, um, us with, with our team this year. Um, they, they, they're a big group and they will just really add a lot. I think they're well-rounded too.
And they've got some experiences they need to have and learn still as part of a varsity team, um, but they're going to be able to learn from the people who I just mentioned we've got well, really well-rounded group of experienced athletes who can teach them the things they need so they can step in and continue those for us.
Well, and something else that's neat too. And I know we just talked about, you know, what the younger classes can do. And I know we've mentioned the veterans boy, it's real nice to have those veterans.
Oh, Kelly, where you can look at them and say, listen, I really like to see what our four by eight could do tonight. I know we haven't run it together for, you know, since practice, but let's give it a shot. And I know they look at you and go, okay, coach, let's go.
I mean, that's gotta feel pretty good too. Yeah, it is. And they're, they're not complainers. Um, they are hard workers and they've been willing to just do what we need to do. Um, and there's just enough people on the team.
I think there's a little, I don't want to say competition within the team, but they know they have to keep getting better to have those spots on those, on those key relays. So, um, that makes the team better when everyone's getting better than our team is getting better as well.
All right. I know, of course, the big meet, of course, is the state qualifying meet and obviously state Kelly. If I told you to look at your schedule and circle a couple of meets for me, what are you looking forward to?
And don't just say that we, the meets that doesn't wind and it's not cold, but kids, give me a couple of meets that you're kind of looking forward to on that schedule. Yeah, we get about one perfect weather meet every five years. So I can't anticipate that. Um, yes.
Conference state qualifying state for sure. We host a co-ed meet and a girl-only meet. And I love that just because we get to, um, be on our home field and have our fans here, so many of our fans come out and, um, track kind of a big thing in that grid.
So people who have graduated and whose kids have graduated come back and help and watch, and that's just great to be surrounded by so many people who are supporting the kids and that filters over to the kids. They run wild. They, they always do well at our home meets.
Um, and a huge part of that is the community support early on. I would say Panorama because it's a very big me and we get to see some competition that we really don't see the rest of the year. Um, and it's much more limited in who we can take. So let me, we have an ADM tomorrow.
We're getting everybody in several events and we'll just see where we are. But at Panorama a couple of weeks down the road, um, we're limited. So we're really going to be putting together the best relays and events we can Kelly's always thank you so much for some time.
Best of luck over in a Dell, uh, coming up tomorrow night. We'll look forward to talking to you again here in a couple of weeks. Yes. Thank you in advance for your coverage. You bet. Kelly growth is again, joining us, Madrigg girls track here on coaches corner.
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