Track, field stays relaxed for MAC championship
The Central Michigan track and field team is at the point of the season it has prepared for all year: the Mid-American Conference championship.
It begins at 11 p.m. today in Akron, Ohio and will finish Saturday.
“This means to us, as a staff, the opportunity to put our athletes out on the field and let them do what they’ve prepared for,” Willie Randolph said, director of track and field.
Randolph said although he’s excited for what he calls the most exciting time of the year, it’s also stressful.
“I don’t ever feel nervous the week of (conference championships),” Randolph said. “Just calm, slash, passive-aggressive.”
Randolph said his athletes feel rested about the dialed-down intensity of practices this week to stay rested and loose for competition.
“They look fine,” he said. “They look ready to go and they’re loving it – they don’t have to work hard this week. They’re fresh and excited.”
Randolph said he thinks the Chippewas will arrive very confident since they already competed at the Stile Field House in the Akron Invitational two weeks ago.
“Most of (the team) never competed in an environment that size,” Randolph said. “It really helps us.”
Randolph said at different points of the season he knows Kent State will be the Chippewas biggest obstacle for the MAC championship.
Kent State men’s and women’s runners have produced top-five results in most events all season.
The strategy to prepare during the week, Randolph said, is all mental. The coaches have been speaking genially with athletes to keep their minds from wandering into nervousness.
“You do it more now because we’re in the psychological piece of it,” Randolph said.
Senior thrower Mychael King said he felt bittersweet going into the MAC championship.
“It’s my last one,” he said. “After that, it’s over. It makes you want to go out and do even better.”
