9/18 update

Braves,

The results from the meet we had on Wednesday our on our website. We were impressed with the effort during those races. It is crazy to think that we only have one race to go before our region meet. Parents, in case you hadn’t heard from your son or daughter, we are not going to race on Friday the 23^rd at Roy. That was on our schedule but we decided to not race that day so we can use the time to prepare for our final races. That means that we have our home meet on the 28^th, region the week after, and state after that. With the final few weeks of the season we have some exciting things ahead of us.

The final few members of the varsity teams are not set in stone, given the improvements that people have been making, and that is a good thing for our team. Over the next two and a half weeks that will be decided as we go into region. We were extremely impressed over the last two days with a few kids stepping it up in practice as they make their final push to make the varsity team. We will need that kind of tenacity if we are going to have a shot to reach our goals.

We set a goal at the beginning of the year to qualify both teams for state. As the season has unfolded and we have deal with ups and downs, injuries and improvements, our goal is within reach, but not a guarantee.  It is going to take a collective effort to have chance at qualifying for state. As the season has developed, on paper, the boys team finds themselves neck and neck with Box Elder for the final qualifying spot. It looks to be very close. The girls teams in the region have been slightly more unpredictable, but it is clear that we will have to really improve in order to have a shot. Not surprisingly, our girls have been improving (as have our boys) as a result of their hard work, which is why we believe there still is a chance. Anything can happen on race day, we just need to prepare ourselves so we can make things go our way. This is an exciting time. Ultimately, what we hope each of you understands, and whether you have been on jv or varsity doesn’t matter, is that we need each other, all of us, in this process working hard as a TEAM in order to reach our goals. Those of you who were with us last year for track will remember that our boys team fell 4 points short earning a state team trophy for the first time since 1991. Though that team dominated in region, they came up just short at state. That team had a lot of athletes who had bought in to the team concept and were working hard every day, but there were many who weren’t committed enough, and it cost us in the end. I do not want that to be our story. We cannot afford to be missing practice over the last stretch of our season. The region is just too close. I know you have other things in your life so schedule things in such a way that allows you to accomplish everything you need to.

I hear every day in my classes some students saying they stayed up and did homework for a large number of hours the night before for some class they had. Typically when I ask more questions about it they regretfully reveal that they had procrastinated for several days. What’s worse, when I ask how many text messages they sent, or snap chats they received throughout the duration of their “study time” they realize where the conversation is leading them so they plead the fifth (something Stratty likes to do when asked about if he iced is foot J). My point is, use your time wisely. Do not procrastinate, especially not in the middle of the term, because the end is usually worse in terms of workload. If you have a cell phone or an ipad or whatever, put it away while you study. In college I learned very quickly and gratefully how much more I could get done in the hour before practice when I kept my phone in my bag and stayed of social media. There is a little #lifehack for you as you move forward.

We are lucky to have a team full of great kids. For the most part you are responsible and want to do what is best for you and the team. Stay true to that and you will be able to balance all you have while still helping our team be successful.

This upcoming week we have a few things to accomplish. We have two things we want to accomplish in training over the next two and a half weeks in order to reach our goal. First, we want to continue to develop our speed, and take it up a notch. Our base has been established, and now we get to reap the rewards. As former long-time Weber State Coach, and BYU athlete Coach Blaisdell used to say, “the hay is in the barn” meaning we have put in the work, now we get to enjoy it. Second, we will begin to taper. Our workload won’t be as strenuous as your bodies begin to recover. As a training schedule for this week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday will be speed days, either on the track or at Lewis Park, and Tuesday and Thursday will be distance runs, but more in the casual (NOT lazy) category. On Tuesday we will meet at Mueller Park Junior High and run our course a few times so you can get the hang of it, but it won’t be a strenuous run. We will give you further details at practice on Monday.

On Tuesday we will be taking our team picture for the year book. Make sure to bring your Uniform top (don’t worry about the shorts, but wear dark shorts or spandex if possible). That picture will be taken at 2:40, so if you are late, you will not be in the photo.

Again, there is no race on Friday, but we will be practicing.

We have an exciting few weeks ahead. Enjoy it, embrace it, be determined, and let’s reach our goals.

Coach Jacobson