They worked all during thespring break week. Now theSouthern University Jaguars outdoor track team will take the weekend off torest and make up missed schoolwork.
“We’re going to cancel theAlabama State (Invitational) because we’re tired,” said Jags’ head coach JohnnyThomas. “We’ve been missing toomany classes and we are tired. Wehave to go to some of these classes to catch up.”
A toll comes from long hoursspent traveling on the road.
On March 10, the Jaguars openedthe season on the road at the Florida A&M Classic, traveling via bus — theride was seven and a half hours long.
Then on March 17, the Jaguarswere on a five-hour ride to Houston to compete in the Texas Southern relays andthe following week, it was back to Houston for the Prairie View Relays. In all, during mid-March theJaguars logged over 2,200 miles on the road.
“We need to get to these classesso the teachers know we’re about academics as well,” Thomas said.
During the break the Jaguarswill also spend time preparing to qualify for the National Collegiate AthleticAssociation Regionals.
At the last meet, Jags’ PamelaCockerham placed first in the 100-meter dash at 11.47. The men’s 4X100 meterrelay came in at 40.15, and the 4X400 meter relay finished in 3:10.50, bothcame in first place. Cockerham andthe men relay all made the qualifying times for the NCAA Regionals.
The Jaguars are seekingimprovement.
The womens’s 4X100 relayfinished at 47.16, Kaisha Weeks grabbed a time of 14.59 in the 100-meterhurdles, and 1:03:28.0 in the 400-meter hurdles, Erikka Thomas finished 4:54.22in the 1500 meter run, Monica Robison jumped 18’9” in the long jumpcompetition, and 9’0” for the pole vault and Jackie Dix finished with 35’5”for the javelin throw. On themen’s side for the 4X200 meter relay the Jags finished at 1:24.34, Curtis Hiner ran 400-meter hurdles in54.02 and Carrie steed had a 14.58 for the 110 meter hurdles. All finished in first place but did nothave the qualifying times to capture a spot in regionals.
The Jaguars that did not make aspot for regionals they still have the Texas Relays, Pelican Relays,Mississippi Valley State Invitational and the SWAC Outdoor Championshipmeet.
Last season Southern had severalteam members to qualify for regionals, but as far as in running events they didnot have the times to qualify nationally.
Jags’ Mike McKinney broke theregionals’ record in the high jump event with 7’3”1/3 feet. McKinney went to nationals and finishedin eighth place in the finals.
If the standard regionals timeis not met the only other way a player can get to regionals is if the runnerwin first place in their conference.
The NCAA regionals meet is inBloomington, Ind. on May 27-28.
The Alabama State Invitationalis scheduled for April 1-2 in Montgomery, Ala.
