B-Side Blog: The Weeding Out Process

Sometimes falling and failing is the sign that the weed out process is in effect

The month of April has been terrible on the track. The weather has caused MAJOR havoc all over the state. The wind, rain and cold at this point has made this one of the worst starts of the outdoor season in recent memory. Meets all over the state have been cancelled because of it, and old school coaches and fans are losing their minds. I'll be the first to say, in my four years of high school not one time was a meet cancelled.

The weather also seems to have helped a lot of sprinters. I've seen plenty of Century marks go from mid 11's drop to 10's in a week or two time frame. It's happened in the 200m as well but a lot of times being run are being questioned. Therefore, the question being asked the most is "Was it wind aided?" That question has come up more this year than any other year.

But... there is good news. It has hit the month of May. The "Big Meets" are coming and thus the "Weeding Out Process" has begun. I love this time of the season because all pretenders are pushed aside. And as they say, "the cream rises to the top." The moment you hear conference meets, business is about to pick up. Great competition, school rivalries and the best of each event begin to take over.
   
I've seen a lot of things so far this outdoor season at both the junior and high school level.  Athletes in the wrong events, lack of real workouts, nobody seems to wear sweats anymore or warm up enough. Injuries have shown up as well. I have an eighth grader whose first meet will be sectionals. Shin splints along with the weather have basically cancelled her whole season. The "oh we gotta get serious now that it's May" has started. No, you should've been serious from day one. I've heard more than once since this past weekend that this week would be the start of the "Real Workouts." Really? Seniors have either signed with colleges or are about to panic about their future. They realize this could be their last month of track in life. It has gotten real.


So the month of May has arrived, missed practices, lack of focus and hard work will now begin to catch up to you. The Weeding Out Process has begun. Don't be one of the athletes pushed to the side after sectionals reading and hearing about state when you could've been there yourself.