Bedard builds a roster to sweeping success

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- As the sun started to fade from the skies in Clovis, Calif., the Colorado State coaching staff huddled near the top of the stands.

It wasn't to take in the sunset as the Mountain West Outdoor track & field championships were coming to a conclusion on a Saturday evening, but rather the dawning of a realization a season-long pursuit was coming to fruition.

"We were just able to observe the team compete really well, one good performance after another, and seeing teammates supporting each other, the energy of the whole group," CSU head coach Brian Bedard recalled. "Ultimately that's what we'd like to see, essentially the leadership of the team and the team kinda take over and we can sit back and just cheer them on. It was really fun to get to that point."

The final day of competition wasn't any different from the prior three. The Rams were all over the place scoring points. Some came in bunches, others in bits, upperclassmen and underclassmen alike.

There were 21 events scored, and the Rams' men scored in 20 of them; the women in 19. It was a complete roster which led to a sweep of the conference team titles, the same formula which worked to sweep the indoor championships, too.

A tried-and-true philosophy playing out in spectacular fashion.

"Wow, that's actually a stat I didn't realize. That's huge," said senior distance runner Cole Rockhold. "The fact we only failed to score in one event is something I don't think we'd have even been close to in previous year. It shows we've seen holes in our roster and we've been able to fill them, and I think it's a testament to the coaches."

Bedard does not like holes. In fact, he tries to avoid them, so he uses recruiting and class spacing in an effort to patch perceived flaws.

It's just not that easy.

He knows some of his counterparts in the Mountain West will load up scholarships in particular areas, but he's never felt that was the path to winning. He and his staff attempt to spread out recruiting resources, because he noted every point adds up over the course of a championship meet.

"We have scholarships broken down where we invest a certain amount in each area, and we try not to get too unbalanced," he said. "I think if we did get pretty unbalanced it would lead to some problems and some weaknesses on our team."

The one event neither gender scored in was the 800 meters. The women also didn't score in the long jump. Overall, 40 men placed with four winning titles; 31 women placed with six crowns collected.
The men had some bundles, such as five placing in the 110 hurdles and four each in the decathlon and discus, the latter title coming on a 1-2-3 sweep led by redshirt freshman Adam Dawson. The women bundled up with four placing in the discus (topped by a 1-2 finish) and three in the 200.

The athletes on the roster notice the ratios. Heading into the indoor season, they were confident. Coming off those titles, they felt even stronger about the second pursuit.

"I know areas where we may slack or have weakness, I and I know areas where we have our strengths," said Destinee Rocker, the women's 100 hurdles champion. "I look at that to see how things will play out. I feel like we definitely had the potential and the talent. I feel we're a much stronger team than last year.

"It definitely boosts my confidence and makes me feel like you can do this, which I can. I feel like, once you see people win individual titles, it gives other people that same type of confidence to bring it to the outdoor season."

Bedard knows a little luck doesn't hurt, and questions have to be answered. Will the freshmen come in and contribute right away, or will they take time? Five freshmen (true and redshirt) contributed greatly to the cause. Jackson Morris was the high-point scorer for the men's meet, while true freshmen Germain Barnes and Lauren Gale won individual titles.

The team also has to be healthy, and Rockhold said the training staff of Anne Bradley and Drayden Turman work in perfect harmony with the coaching staff.

"That's a testament to our trainers. Honestly, we have some of the best in the nation," Rockhold said. "They get us ready to go, keep us healthy and the coaches work with them all the time to get us to the championship season healthy and ready to go."

As Bedard speaks, it becomes clear there are multiple plans linked together within the program. A key is in the development, to not only have athletes ready, but for them to improve each and every year.

He also wants them to realize and appreciate what is taking place. Because high in the stands on a particular Saturday evening, they could have been waiting for a comet to streak the sky. They are rare, like Mountain West dominance. The last conference team to sweep outdoor titles was the Rams back in 2015. A sweep of all four had not occurred since 2011.

"It's another philosophy we have. We want our athletes to be thankful for the situation they're in and you have to earn everything," he said. "You have to earn your way on the conference roster, earn you ticket to travel to away meets. I think that's healthy that you have to earn your opportunities."

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