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Questions...
"Below is a
list of questions you may have. Hopefully the answers will help
you, as a student athlete or parent, become more familiar with the
St. Thomas track and field program. Please don't hesitate to
contact me to learn more."
Coach Steve Mathre
Who is able to
participate on the team?
All University of St. Thomas student’s are welcome to participate.
As long an athletes actions are positive, productive, and for the
good of the team - they are encouraged to participate. At the same
time, we also believe being a part of the UST track and field
tradition is a privilege. The expectation is that you work
diligently to better yourself as a person and athlete through the
sport of track and field.
When do you practice?
Our season starts the first week
in January. During January (J-term) we have approximately
two thirds of our team at practice, as some are studying abroad or
out of town working. Our practice times are listed below:
3:00-5:00pm: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
3:30-5:30pm: Tuesday, Thursday
We start later on
Tuesday and Thursday to help avoid class and lab conflicts.
Missing class for academics is always excusable.
What expectations do coaches have?
The 10 B’s of Success
The following 10 B’s are expectations we as coache place on our
athletes. Each athlete will sign an Athlete’s Pledge of
Conduct prior to the start of the season that will speak to
these areas. Fortunately within a successful program, these traits
areas present with most motivated athletes. The Pledge helps keep
everyone on track and provide direction when an athlete strays off
course.
1. Be Committed
2. Be On time
3. Be Informed
4. Be Positive
5. Be Supportive
6. Be Conditioned
7. Be Prepared
8. Be Confident
9. Be Successful
10. Be Happy
What can the athletes expect from the coaches?
Coaches Statement of Purpsose
The University of St. Thomas track and field program is dedicated
to providing a high-level varsity experience for all athletes able
to participate. Remaining true to NCAA Division III philosophy,
the coaches are dedicated to positively influencing the lives of
the athletes through teamwork, commitment, sportsmanship, and hard
work. Each participant who contributes productively to the goals
of the team is seen as a valuable asset and is encouraged to
participate.
It is also recognized that
participation on the University of St. Thomas track & field
team is a privilege, not a right. For this reason, coaches must
hold themselves and the athletes to the highest standards of
professionalism, integrity, and fair play.
We must also make a commitment to
exceed in the areas of teaching, skill development, motivation,
and self-improvement. The expectation is that we work to better
ourselves and the athletes through the sport of track and field.
All actions must be directed
toward elevating ourselves, the athletes and the program to the
highest level possible.
Is track and individual sport?
Teammate SupportTrack and Field
by its nature is classified as an individual sport. At St. Thomas
we view Track and Field as a major TEAM
sport. We believe the team can come first without
sacrificing individual goals and objectives. This is accomplished
through strong support and encouragement from all involved
-coaches and teammates. Every individual has their own way of
preparing for competition. Often this is alone and away from the
team. This is understood and encouraged at , however once an
athletes is finished competing their responsibility is now focused
on the team. Find out where the action is - and show your support!
Strong teammates support is a St. Thomas tradition; take pride.
What kind of awards or recognition do you have?
Letterwinners
Requirements for a varsity award in track and field are:
1. Freshman standing or
above.
2. Adherence to the track and field Athlete Pledge of
Conduct.
3. Place in the MIAC meet or achieve the event(s) standard.
4. Recommendation of the coach.
5. Approval of the Director of Athletics.
First year Letter Award
Second year Letter Jacket
Third year Plaque
Fourth year St. Thomas Watch
All-American (NCAA)
Indoors Finish in the top 6 at the NCAA Championships
Outdoors Finish in the top 8 at the NCAA Championships
Indoors Finish in the top 6 at the NCAA Championships
Outdoors Finish in the top 8 at the NCAA Championships
Official All-American
certificates will be awarded to the top finishing athletes as
noted above (including relays). Official NCAA plaques will also be
presented to the top six finishers in each event. First, second,
third and fourth-place team trophies will be awarded.
Participation certificates will be presented to all
student-athletes competing or in uniform in the Championships.
All-Conference (MIAC)
The top three individuals in each event and the first place relay
team will be designated "All-Conference" and will
receive an MIAC "All-Conference" certificate.
The top three individuals in each event and the first place relay
team will be designated "All-Conference" and will
receive an MIAC "All-Conference" certificate.
All-Conference Honorable Mention
(MIAC)
Fourth through sixth place finishers in the open events and second
through sixth place in the relays will receive conference
"event" certificates.
Fourth through sixth place finishers in the open events and second
through sixth place in the relays will receive conference
"event" certificates.
MIAC Outstanding
Athlete
Conference coaches will nominate and vote to determine the male
and female most outstanding athlete of the MIAC Championship
(indoor and outdoor).
MIAC Outstanding
Performance
Conference coaches will nominate and vote to determine the male
and female who achieved the most outstanding performance during
the MIAC Championship (indoor and outdoor).
Conference coaches will nominate and vote to determine the male
and female who achieved the most outstanding performance during
the MIAC Championship (indoor and outdoor).
St. Thomas Athlete of the Week
Coaches will
recognize during weekly meeting, an athlete who best exemplifies
the St. Thomas commitment to excellence. All coaches are
encouraged to give input. Hard work, performance, team spirit,
etc. are be considered. Coaches will recognize during weekly
meeting, an athlete who best exemplifies the St. Thomas commitment
to excellence. All coaches are encouraged to give input. Hard
work, performance, team spirit, etc. are be considered.
St. Thomas Teammate of the Week
(UST)
A teammate will recognize (during weekly meeting), an athlete who
they feel did an outstanding job as a performer or teammate during
the last week. The current recipient will then pick and present
the award the following week.
A teammate will recognize (during weekly meeting), an athlete who
they feel did an outstanding job as a performer or teammate during
the last week. The current recipient will then pick and present
the award the following week.
Personal Best Award (UST)
Since the only thing an athlete has control over in track and
field is their personal performance; regardless of place of
finish, all athletes who achieve a personal best (Personal Record)
during the previous weeks competition will be recognized with a
personalized Certificate of Award (during weekly team meeting).
Since the only thing an athlete has control over in track and
field is their personal performance; regardless of place of
finish, all athletes who achieve a personal best (Personal Record)
during the previous weeks competition will be recognized with a
personalized Certificate of Award (during weekly team meeting).
What
team Policies do you have?
- Attendance is expected at all
practices, meets and team meetings.
- Athletes should not leave
practice before checking with their event coach..
- Athletes are not to drive to
or from competition sites and are not to be excused to leave
with friends, etc. If an athlete needs to make other
arrangements or meet parents after competition, Coach
Mathre must approve such plans.
- The use of toys: footballs,
hake sacs, frisbees, etc. are not allowed at meet sites. They
are not related to competition and act as a distraction.
- In accordance with St. Thomas
school-policy, alcohol and tobacco products are not to be used
and or purchased during school sponsored activities.
- Athletes are to wear St.
Thomas issued clothing and or related items at meet sites when
possible. Inappropriate, distasteful T-shirts and or dress
will also not be tolerated.
- When the opportunity presents
itself, athletes and coaches are encouraged to thank officials
and the host school for their efforts.
- St. Thomas track and field
coaches and athletes are encouraged to set the conference
standard for performance, sportsmanship and fair play.
- All actions by athletes and
coaches are to reflect well upon the individual, the school
and the program.
What
is your training theory?
"...doing the best
- when it means the most?"The St. Thomas track and field
program is committed to developing athletes to peak physically for
both the indoor and outdoor MIAC and NCAA Championships. Most all
other competitions are seen as opportunities to improve and
compete well. Therefor, it is essential all coaches plan their
season training accordingly. Coaching is understanding why
we do things and when we do them. Training athletes is a
combination of sound physiological principles integrated with
coaching intuition.
A quality coach is one who when
faced with an athlete’s poor performance, can look first at
themselves for the answer. We must always ask ourselves,
"what does this specific athlete need and what more can I do
to help him or her succeed." To honestly answer such
questions, we must constantly refer to our master plan and adjust
accordingly.
What
is the philosophy of the St. Thomas Athletic Department?
St. Thomas
Athletic Department
Mission Statement
The University of St. Thomas by promoting academic
excellence and personal growth through a competitive sports
program, seeks to establish and maintain an environment
in which a student-athlete’s athletic activities are conducted
as an integral part of their total
educational experience.
What's
the difference between NCAA Division I,II,II?
Financial Difference:
Division I:
These schools are full scholarship schools which means that all of
the individual's tuition, room and board, and books are paid for
by the institution. However in track and field, generally a
school has a very limited number of scholarships available.
Where football may have 80 some scholarships, track and field may
only have 13 scholarships to share between both track and cross
country. For this reason it is very rare for a student athlete to
receive a full (full ride) scholarship. In order for a track
and field team to cover all events, a school is often forced to
divide scholarships as explained below.
Division II:
These schools also have the ability to offer full scholarships.
However each school may have their own set number of scholarships
available to track and field athletes. As with Division I
schools, in order to attract more athletes, full scholarships are
most often broken up into several parts and then awarded to more
than one player. (i.e. Player A receives tuition; Player B
receives room and board; Player C receives books and fees).
The unaworded costs are the obligation of the student and his
family.
Division III:
These schools offer no direct financial assistance for athletic
ability. Financial aid is awarded on an analysis of the
family's ability to pay. Additional aid is also awarded on
the academic merit of the student. Financial aid packages
are divided into three parts: 1) Grant Aid - money awarded that
does not have to be repaid. 2) Work study - money earned by the
student for working on campus which can be applied to tuition. 3)
Loans - money which is loaned to the student and / or parents
which must be repaid. These are low interest loans
which begin to be repaid 6 months after graduation.
Other costs to consider:
Travel:
Travel is often an overlooked expense when planning for college.
How far away will you be going to school and what will the
expenses be to travel home for Christmas break, summer vacation,
spring break, etc.
Years in School: It is
important to get an honest, up front answer from a coach as to how
long it will take to graduate. Most state schools take a
student five years to graduate. Combine the demands of
athletics to the equation and five years is most often the norm.
Many families may find it less expensive for their son to attend a
four year private school that may cost more per year, but would
ultimately be cheaper than a five year public school experience.
The savings can really add up if the student who graduates in four
years is now working and earning an income during that fifth year
instead of paying for another year of education.
Athletic Difference
The biggest difference between
Division I,II and III athletics may be noticed the most in the
higher profile sports such as football, basketball, etc.
Track and Field is a rare sport in that Division III schools, such
as St. Thomas, routinely compete against schools of all divisions
(I,II,III). Where you would not find this in football, it is
common in track and field.
Where Division I schools usually stand out as having high caliber
teams, it is important to note that the quality of a track and
field team is not based on their NCAA affiliation.
This quality is much better judged on the caliber of athletes in
the program, the number of paid coaches, administrative support
and history of success.
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