Spring Sports Preview: Track and Field

The 2011 track and field season is underway and gopetrels.com got with new head coach Jan Spiro to form a prospectus of both the men's and women's teams.

Here's how Coach Spiro broke down the different disciplines within the sport of track and field:

Throwers

The women's team is lead by five senior women who all have already bettered their all-time indoor marks and look to better these marks outside as well. Tammer Weems, Shaina Tucker, Sheedria Futrell, Erin Fowler and captain Courtney Craig all look to score at conference.

The men are lead by Chris Schneider, Thomas Smith and Alex Van Zandt. Throwing Coach Byron Kramer thinks that with some experience both the javelin and hammer school records are possibilities.

Sprinters and Jumpers

Returning lettermen Sean Lovett, Max Duwat and captain Evan Britton lead a green but fast men's team.  With new comers Vincent Kennedy, Joachim Ogodi, Jerome Pounds and Nick Harris, the men jumpers and sprinters might post their best marks in years. Coach Spiro said, "We have fast newcomers. Sprint coach Warren Matthews has worked hard to blend them into a team. I think it will payoff in a big way. Britton has a chance, if he stays healthy, to be the best jumper in school history."

Sherry Blystone and Sarah Foster are the veteran leaders for rookies Ky'Laine Rogers, Raven Foust and Kyana Jenkins on the women's team. Said Coach Spiro: "there is unlimited potential here. I really expect to make reservations for NCAA qualifying meets. Blystone and Foster are both superb all-around athletes who can show the freshman how it's done."

Distance

Assistant coach Thalley Lindeman leads a very young but talented group. Billy Colbert and Phillip Belcher for the men and Khadija Nisar for the women are the freshmen who look for veteran leadership from junior Beth Cleary who already holds some school records. Said Spiro, "there is not much depth here, but plenty of quality. I look for big things."

Summing up, Coach Spiro is very optimistic about both squads, saying, "This is a young but talented team. They are working very hard in practice and our seniors have been terrific. I think we will represent Oglethorpe very well."