Track Keeps in Contact Any Way it Can
Season never started for defending Mountain West champions
Mike Brohard
The first day is going to test him tremendously.
Naturally, emotions are going to be heightened for all involved, particularly on a track team which can reach 100 or so athletes. Coach Brian Bedard misses them all, and he’s going to want to be himself – shake hands, give hugs – when his Colorado State squad reassembles.
“I’ll be extremely honest: It’s going to be difficult,” the CSU track and field coach said. “That’s just my nature. That’s how I connect with people, so that’s going to be a challenge for me, to be honest. The excitement of having everybody back and be able to interact, I miss that. I like to think I have a good relationship with the athletes and the staff, so I miss that track community. There’s definitely a void or vacancy there that’s been a little bit of a challenge to fill.”
He’ll have to refrain, however. After months of stay-at-home orders, he’ll be tempted to return to his old habits.
But even he understands there will be new norms, and with experts warning about rebound effects and possible second waves of the outbreak, the old Bedard is going to have to make way for the new version. He’s going to want to extend a hand, or come in for an embrace, only to have to stop himself mid-motion, which his athletes can already envision as being somewhat comical in nature.
“It’s probably going to be very hard for him,” sprinter Jessica Ozoude said.
The 2020 season was, by all accounts, eagerly anticipated. The Rams are the defending Mountain West champions of the outdoor kingdom, having won both the men’s and women’s titles in 2019. They were also coming off an indoor season where the men won a championship.
On paper, Bedard felt his squad was even more ideally suited for the outdoor pursuits, and to see the season ended before it had even begun was heartbreaking, and his phone keeps reminding him of what they are all missing. He still has the season schedule in his phone calendar, and on meet days, it sends him a message about the meet the team should be competing at on a given day.
I better change my diet and add some other activities or I’m going to be the COVID blimp. I’m trying to have a little bit of fun and keep a sense of humor with some things.Brian Bedard, Track and Field Coach
Those dings bring upon a wave of emotions. Reflection, of where the Rams should be in the season, plans to be made for championship events. Most definitely sadness, for his athletes who worked so hard in the fall to chase dreams in May and beyond.
Until those meets happen, the Rams will have a title to defend.
All of them have had to come to grips with what was lost, which took place at a different rate for each individual. For some, finding a silver lining helped. Ozoude was coming off an injury-riddled indoor season, limiting her to three meets, and her performances were not up to her standards. The time off has given her the chance to build back up a muscle strain without missing an outdoor season which meant so much to her.
Thrower Adam Dawson is approaching it as a pause, so he’s founds ways to take advantage, viewing it as an extra redshirt season.
“I’m kind of taking it a day at a time right now,” he said. “With everything that’s going on, everything is still shut down for a little bit longer. I have a weight room at my house I'm using to train in, so I’m still getting my lifts in. With meets being so far away, I’m not spending as much time out throwing as much as I am trying to get my technique down.”
Bedard likes the close nature of his team, and at the moment, those relationships are somewhat challenged. While smaller squads can use Zoom or Microsoft Teams, he said that’s just not possible with 100-plus people on a call. Besides, he’s s seen the screen shots on social media, where half of the boxes are folks who seemed to be zoned out, not Zoomed in to the proceedings.
Still, he has his coaches staying in close contact with their position groups, encouraging them to use phone calls more than texts. The outreach is important, be it for mental health or the extra push academically, as grades are still being checked weekly. The athletes use Snapchat, FaceTime and other means to keep in touch with those they miss.
Even a short conversation or text thread can alter the mood of the day.
“They’ve been pretty helpful for me,” Ozoude said. “It’s nice to know how your teammates are doing and what they’re doing. I just really want to get back in the classroom and get back to being with my teammates. I really miss it.”
Finding ways to remain in shape takes some creativity for some, though runners have the advantage of not needing much. Most can find the track at the local high school is still accessible, and the roads are open for the miles distance runners crave. Most of the throwers have their own tools to work with at home, too. While workouts are voluntary, all platforms are being used to share ideas. Bedard gets involved, too, as he has concerns of a personal nature.
“I’m trying to find ways to fight off the COVID 15,” Bedard said, referring to weight gain. “While I’m coaching, I’m probably putting in 12,000-15,000 steps a day, then all the sudden I’m at home and not doing that. I better change my diet and add some other activities or I’m going to be the COVID blimp. I’m trying to have a little bit of fun and keep a sense of humor with some things.”
Humor helps, but the reality is still there. Moving forward, concerns over roster management and recruiting – not just this year, but the next few – will come into play. Bedard’s program, once you include the cross country runners, spans three squads of planning out redshirt years and class eligibility.
Some plans will change, but the outlook for the program has not. As far as the Rams are concerned, they are still the Mountain West champions until proven otherwise.
“No one has had a chance to take it away from us yet,” Dawson said. “We’re a young squad, so we’re still going to be able to come back strong.”
Enough has been taken already. Those dings remind Bedard of that every so often, and unfortunately, he can’t hug them away.