Coaches Corner for June 19th: Michael Melchert, DMACC Track

with us on coaches corner KWB G gonna talk a little DMACC track today with the head coach Michael Melchert as the Bears had a chance to with their distance runners really I thought put together a nice spring coach and gonna start off on the lady side of things because it was first very cool to see you guys at some of the bigger meets to be honest with you and I thought the sixth place finish at the region 11 championships was maybe one of the highlights yeah yeah definitely great season out everyone it's a bit of a grind starting all the way right now in May June time all the way till next May kind of peaking for that national meet so a great season well and what else I kind of noticed too Michael was just the level of meets and the level of competition you took the ladies to was that by choice or was that something that listen let's put together a schedule and let's just see how we compete I mean you guys went to some pretty strong meets yeah definitely more of an emphasis this year and as we have added more talented women added more numbers guys and girls side we've gone to these bigger meets to put them against maybe lower end or mid tier D1 teams and high end D2 teams to see how they can compete and then that kind of gives them a mark to see you know after their two years of DMACC where do I fit in with these other programs well and able to get two ladies that we're able to qualify for the NJCAA division one track and field championships tell us about what that was like down in Hobbes, New Mexico sounds like it was a little bit warm down there huh yeah definitely dry and hot but I think they competed very well you know we had there were a ton of kids that were you know way off their marks or didn't finish near to what they at that meet and we had people in prelims and finals and I think overall athletes took it seriously took the heat seriously got themselves well prepared for the national meet so it's happy to see our results down there. Ava and J.C. were your two entrance two sophomores coach and what did they kind of I mean what was the the the mindset I guess going into this 3000 meter run and then what did they think like or what did they talk about I guess afterward knowing that with two sophomores obviously careers at DMACC coming to an end. Yeah I think definitely the the whole objective of the race was kind of um respecting the heat we knew there was going to be girls that uh still kind of try to run towards their PR the day where that was going to happen so they actually started you know in dead last the first couple laps and they they moved up the whole race they did you know perfect job in terms of of execution um I think they both would have liked to get a little bit closer to scoring but overall they're very pleased with it and we're excited we were excited to have them there two years and kind of excited to see Ava Manny is going to go run at Simpson so she'll be pretty close and then J.C. is going to actually go to Iowa State and she's going to help us volunteer next year so they're both very close to us very close to the program it'll be nice to see how they flourish these next two years in their college careers as well. Michael you had a pretty full roster I mean when I look at eight individuals and just three sophomores tell me about the freshman that'll be moving up to be sophomores next year and then the incoming class what is what's women's track and field look like the future? Yeah so Mariah and C.C. will come back as freshman last year sophomores this coming fall they're both going to be big contributors Mariah um just had a little issue with her hip this year that we worked through through physical therapy all year and she is completely healthy which was good to see you know April May her racing again and then this summer so far she's probably five weeks and has had no pain which is great so I think they'll be major contributors and then we have a very stellar freshman girls class coming in so I'm excited to see how they mix it up Mariah will kind of take the lead with them and being that top group and seeing what we can do next year on the girls side you know we were eighth at the cross country championship last year and I think you know those freshmen going to be sophomores we're very disappointed in that and I think you're going to see a podium finish from there come this fall and then yeah it's just exciting to get those freshmen on campus just to see where they're at coming off their summer training Well Michael the men's side of things boy what a fantastic season for them as well I know had a chance to run at the Drake Relays which is always a big accomplishment and then you end up sending five members to the championships down in New Mexico as well boy I know the expectations were there coming off cross country I remember when we talked about that but boy to see that come to fruition what a great season for the fellas yeah the guys program really has just my sophomores this year were the building you know when they're freshmen they were the building blocks of what we really wanted to do as a program and I couldn't thank them enough for what they've done and then them bringing in a very talented freshman class because of what they did their freshman year and how they kind of went out and recruited to and got kids to come to DMACC has been great to see so we're definitely going to miss them but yeah they have very lofty goals we have lofty goals right with them in step and it was great to see how they finish the season boy how about Eli page two tell me about his fifth place finish in the men's mile just a phenomenal season for Eli he he had a disappointing end to his cross country season obviously in the snow and that's just going to happen sometimes and so he was healthy all season he accomplished his goals and we're excited to see he's going to go to you do what he can do Zach Stormer another fantastic finish 13th he finishes in that mile as well and then you had Sam Mora from Grimes finished 17th I mean you want to talk about a full event full of DMACC Bears that was a heck of a mile race that you guys were well represented in yeah in terms of overall meets in events that men's mile indoor was our those are best showing by far I think they all either got first or second in their heats as well so just seeing that back to back to back for the three heat that they had the men's mile was was cool to see with DMACC up front so tell me about what's what's on the horizon when we look at the DMACC men's track and field that you had just a few sophomores obviously important sophomores on this group but coach you had a big group of freshmen

I think you know the guys we have a lot of freshmen and a lot of freshmen I really didn't turn until you know indoor outdoor season so I'm so excited to see what they can do on grass you know that first those first few months some of those guys aren't the biggest contributors on their cross teams and maybe they're more of a 4-8 or 8 you know 16 guy on the track in high school so they don't think of themselves as 8k guys and I think we are going to have a huge sophomore leadership

but we also have a great group of freshman guys coming in and I I couldn't tell you on paper what our top 7 looks like so I'm really excited to see what you know I think it'll change a couple times August through November but just kind of seeing what we look like in August and then ultimately seeing what our top 7 is in November Michael's that that's got to be one of those things when you don't know what the top 7 is going to be look like it's exciting and it's got to be terrifying at the same time right coach yeah you just hope everyone's putting in you know equal amount of work over the summer and it looks like they are so yeah very excited and you know sometimes those have been our best years when you don't know who that fifth guy is and then all of a sudden this guy comes out of nowhere we love to see those that's for sure coach congratulations on a great spring season we'll give you a couple of months off and I'll see in the fall how about that sounds good I appreciate it yeah that's Michael Melchard again joining us DMACC Track and Field joining us on KWBG