The deep Lincoln-Way East contingent will look to represent well for Illinois in Texas this weekend
For the most part the meteorologists have been on point with their winter 2016 forecasts. It has been a dry and mild winter by Illinois standards... err Chicago land I mean. Tom Skilling and company said we would receive minimal amounts of snow and less harsh temperatures. It was great to skip the Polar Vortex's and Artic blasts from Canada this past winter. Spring is finally here and that means outdoor track and field.
Before I dive all the way into some slick talk I want to take a step back. In looking at the final indoor boards I noticed that there were more than a few teams and athletes missing from the Top Times, most notably from the 3A sector. Of that big sector a large percentage was from the Chicago suburbs. Why? Over the years there has been many reasons: 1) The meet does not fit into our schedule; 2) We are ready for the outdoor season; 3) It is a waste of time for us to compete in ITT; 4) The competition is not that good; 5) We are on spring break that weekend; 6) It is too far or I didn't know about the meet. I could go on and on about the reasons given. I think it is a mistake to miss out on opportunities if you haven't taken advantage of the ones presented to you. Top Times always fall on the last weekend of March when the state is not usually in the clear of inclement weather. Rain outs, snow, and extreme cold (30F in early spring is fairly common) are factors that get meets cancelled. As I am typing this article the projected weather in the Chicago metro area is going to only reach into the low 40s and high winds topping 50 miles per hour. Cancelled meets are not usually rescheduled either. Not everyone has the opportunity to live in southern Illinois or travel to Texas, Florida, Arcadia in California, or the Mobile meet of champions in Alabama. So in order words, don't foresake the indoor season.
Now that we have reached the outdoor season I am excited about some quality meets on tap. In terms of the early season variety I am anxious to see how some of our best athletes perform at out of state venues. Let's start with the Texas Relays. The Texas Relays is more than a track and field meet it is an event. Football is king in Texas but track and field is not far behind. Some of the nation's very elite will be in the house that Clyde Littlefield built. Local fave Desoto TX girls 4x1 relay will be a force to reckon with. They are the early national leaders at 45.12. If they don't improve another second this season it probably won't matter. However, it is too late to turn back from a team that already rates #7 all-time. Can we say dipping into the 44s is imminent? There is no where for Lincoln-Way East to hide. That's right the three time state champion Griffins made the trip. I heard someone a few weeks ago yell "cancel the flights!" Well, it's too late. I believe Coach Angelo Brown, Brian Evans, and Dwayne Pierre-Antoine girls can make the 4x2 final. With 10 of the top 13 teams in the country entered, they are going to have to run near the state all-time record which is 1:36.86 to make the final. Actually if they run that fast they will be in the running for a top three spot and the haters will be silenced.
Now, let's see what Cahokia can do in their first national meet of the year. The Comanche boys take their road show to Mobile, Alabama to compete in the Mobile Meet of Champions. Cahokia's hall of fame coach Leroy Millsap originally hails from Alabama and he is one of the pillars of the MMOC which turned into one of the elite meets in the nation. Superstar senior Ja'mari Ward and his teammates will take the best shots from a variety of top talent in the south. Look for kids from Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and several other states to get it on this weekend!
Finally, I wanted to briefly touch on the Acadia Invitational which will take place on the weekend of April 8-9. This is probably my favorite meet to attend- track and field meet. Nike Cross Country Nationals is my all-time favorite meet regardless of running sport. Arcadia is awesome not because my friend and colleague Rich Gonzalez is the meet director, but rather it is the home of National Records- 25 of them... and well over 100 Olympians have competed in the meet. It is also a 30 minute late night ride to Hollywood from the town of Arcadia which is about 15 miles northeast of LA. Plus, what's better than Los Angeles in the early spring? Or having mountains as your backdrop during your race? I wish I could go this year but I already put up hella travel miles and my newborn Sun is starting to forget me. LOL! No but seriously, it is going to be a great time and experience for Illinois athletes. Neuqua Valley is sending 13 kids there and Jon Davis (Sr., Oakwood) is making his first trip. We will talk more on this in the next edition!
See ya!