Don't be that team or individual to fall flat on your back before the peak championship competition season (Colin Boyle photo)
"Survive and Advance" is an old term used mainly by college basketball commentators during 'March Madness' when they describe a hard fought battle between two teams with the winner barely coming away with a victory. that they probably should have captured handily. But in reality it does not matter what the final score says or stat sheets look like- all that matters is you live to scrap another day.
I can remember as a youngster competing in high school track during my junior year and being tremendously excited about the state championship. In Indiana we had a one-class system (still do) that consisted of three rounds: Sectional, Regional, State. The sectional round normally contained 32 sites where up to a dozen or so teams in ones' area competed for advancement to regionals. In order to advance to regionals, athletes must be the first, second, and third place sectional winners in all individual events and relays plus any individual or relay team meeting the three Participant Standard in the sectional finals of their event.
Don't get caught up in the hype, just advance-
An astute and veteran athlete would have looked at the three week process to the state championship as merely a stage to qualify and not get caught up in the hype. However, it was my first time in the big spotlight after enduring a good regular season in which my only loss in the 3200m was to cross country champion Brendan Smith of Chesterton. I was eager to prove myself and getting swept by positive sentiments go a long way. We did not have internet back in those days but we had newspapers. Sectionals back in my day were contested on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. I had the luxury of having a Thursday sectional and I got an opportunity to read the Indianapolis Star which published all of the sectional results. I also had neighborhood friends hyping me up telling me "you better kill these dudes man!" That is really all I need to hear. My sectional was not very strong in the distance events and since I was entered in just one event I had the luxury of going out and making a big statement to the rest of the state.
I competed in the Terre Haute South Sectional where the meet record was 9:15 dating back to 1973. I suspect the fast time was something guys did back then when you consider it was an in Steve Prefontaine, Craig Virgin, and others like to push the barrier. For a moment I thought about taking a stab at the mark which would require me going out in an insane pace by myself. No way my coach was going to authorize a silly move. Plus, I realized running 9:15 meant nothing since the next round would would decide a berth to the state championship. Oh, I won the race by 25 seconds running 9:51 (4:51 first mile).
Regionals would be a different story. Indiana had five sectors and I happened to be in the Indy North Central Regional where the field was loaded. Only the top five runners in each event would advance to the state meet. Again the goal was to survive and advance. I knew the pace could be fast if some wise guy wanted to take it out. I decided to sit and tuck and let things unfold. The first 800 hit 2:17-18 and then the mile in 4:47. Not fast by any means. The second half of the race Cecil Franke of Jac-Cen-Del and I moved away from the field going stride for stride for the next three laps. With 200 to go I realized I was going to be among the top five to qualify for the state meet and backed off. Normally I would not do that but with state being moved up a week earlier because of a conflict with the Indianapolis 500 Race, there was not need for it. Franke ran 9:24 and I settled for 9:29. Mission accomplished. "Survive and Advance!"
You don't have to push yourself to break neck status in qualifying meets (Colin Boyle photo)
Tools for you to use-
I hope sharing some of my personal experiences can aid you. As a coach the goal may be to peak your athletes going into the sectional meet. For some others it could be the state championship and or junior world final. No matter what the situation is always be aware of over doing it. It can happen in practice when a coach wants his or her athlete do an extra rep, interval, or jump. Sometimes it is best to back off. Such was the recent case of Ja'mari Ward of Cahokia. The superstar senior athlete had everything to lose and nothing to gain in being entered in four events at last weekend's Collinsville Invitational. The nation's top long and triple jumper had already showed the state and nation his best efforts to date in a variety of meets going back to January. So he has competed in well over 40 times in 2016. Now of course I think it is a great thing for a stud athlete to participate in events when ever possible. But why not let Ward take a day off from the jumps and just run? Jumps can be risky especially in less than idea conditions. With the impending conference meet and state series coming up, it would have been best for Ward to not compete or maybe just run event or on a stacked relay. Instead he got hurt jumping and his status for the championship season was almost terminated. Thankfully it was just a scare and he will sit out until the state sectionals.
I will never advocate any coach directing his/her athlete to purposely sit out a meet or tank a race. Never that. I would simply say make sure you do your homework on the competition that you face, the degree of difficulty of the event; always evaluate your training program and make sure it is right for you down the stretch. Never hesitate to make changes because each year is different as well as your athletes.
Remember the long road to the ultimate prize is not easy and the bumps in the road along the way may cause you to pause and say: "Survive and Advance!"
