Head track and field director
Steve Rainbolt, seniors
Damien Odle,
Hunter Veith and junior
Aaron True fielded questions, Wednesday, on their experience at the NCAA West Regional and the upcoming NCAA Championships on June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.
Steve Rainbolt on...
...competition at the NCAA West Regional:
"I came away from Sacramento with a distinct impression that everyone is figuring out how to compete at the regionals, and it's getting tougher. It's getting tougher and tougher to go to that meet and advance on. It makes it more of an honor for an athlete to advance to Eugene and have an opportunity to compete at the NCAA finals...Some years there has been a sense that there is upper level of athletes and then there are others there that don't really have a chance to compete, but I didn't have that same sense this time. It caused me to think that people have figured out that they better come to this meet ready to compete, they better get there with their A-game. Coaches and athletes are figuring that out and it's elevating the performances at that track meet."
...Hunter Veith:
"For Hunter to be ranked second in the decathlon and be an 8,000 point decathlete is a high achievement. Here recently he hasn't been 100%, but I am really impressed with how he has maintained his fitness the best he can. I believe he is able to go to Eugene and get through the decathlon and compete at a high level, if there is anybody who can do it, it's
Hunter Veith.
...Damien Odle:
"Damien finished ninth at this meet two years ago and ninth at the 2016 Olympic Trials, between then and now he has gone through a lot of bumps in the road. A year ago he suffered a season-ending injury, this year he was coming back smoothly and then suffers a strain at the Texas Relays. We weren't even sure he would be able to throw at the conference meet, and at that championship, he found a way to throw the javelin just far enough to score points for the team. It was an unbelievable competitive effort in my opinion and I admired his toughness.
...Aaron True:
"Aaron has been inspirational every step of the way this year. The main thing that I'm talking about is that conference championship, a huge throw, the atmosphere amongst our javelin group got intense and was really energized. True was hitting on all cylinders and those guys seemed to feed off of that energy."
...Hayward Field renovations:
"Hayward Field does not look significantly different than when I competed in the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials as a decathlete. There are some differences, they've upgraded the track facility but other than some paint jobs on the grandstands, it's very similar. They have gone to great lengths to preserve the historical atmosphere of Hayward Field, and it appears to me from the renderings that they are going to tear it down and build a new facility. Unquestionably it's going to be spectacular and they are going to be able to host even larger international competitions. The artist rendering that I've seen doesn't look like it will be historic Hayward Field. I'm sure in some regards one would say it's going to be an improvement, but from my perspective, it's going to be doing away from a significant part of track and field history."
...the guys coming from small-town Kansas:
"These are three small-town Kansas athletes that are tough, competitive and guys of high character. I love that we have built our program around guys like this, we have recruited athletes from all around the world, but it's undeniable that the foundational core of our track and field operation has been small-town Kansas athletes."
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Aaron True on...
...being from a small town and competing on the stage:
"Coming from a small school I always had hopes and dreams of making it to the national meet, or at least making it to the first rounds. After advancing to the finals, it's an awesome feeling to finally achieve that goal...I think if both of us throw well we will have a shot making finals and hopefully have a top-5 finish."
...on preparing himself for the NCAA Championships:
"It's going to be a lot different compared to first rounds, first rounds there is not a whole bunch of people there and there wasn't a big crowd. Trying to stay relaxed and stay calm, with everything going on around us there is going to be a lot more camera and a lot more media. Athletes are going to be better, but just going out there and do what I do best and compete."
...mindset going into regionals highly ranked:
"Going in ranked third, there was more pressure on me and everyone expected me to qualify. I just went in there with the mindset to stay calm, relax and just compete. To keep doing what I know how to do and advance."
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Hunter Veith on...
...his experiences of competing on the big stage:
"It's not my first time to this meet, two indoor and one outdoor, but the thing about this meet is that it's my last collegiate national championship and that's the thing that has been hitting me pretty hard. Training hasn't been optimal, I haven't been able to do what I would like to do at this time but I have been training as hard as I can. This meet isn't going to be about the athlete that I've built, it's going to be about the experiences that I've had in track and field and applying those to the meet. Competing with my heart, even if my body is not up to the level that I want it to be.
...experience he can bring to the meet:
"The atmosphere is the big thing, the first time you go it's an atmosphere that you've never experienced before in track and field. There is so much going on, there are some huge track fans and it's a historic place to be. It almost takes a whole year to take all that in and realize how special that place is and how special the meet is, me being my second time there I feel that I will be able to connect with the track better and experience it more."
...on coming from Cheney HS and to now:
"I've come a long way, it's really exciting and with this injury setting me back, it has been something I've reflected on. That's going to be the most special thing about this meet, it's the last meet in a Shocker uniform. Regardless of how I compete and how it turns out, it's going to happen and I just want to come away from the meet proud and end on a strong note."
...being from a small town:
"Coming from a small town the eyes were never on us, we were never expected to do anything. We were tucked away in a small town and no one expects some small town kids to go anywhere and now we've proved that with some hard work, no matter where you're from you can do special things. It's not where you're from, it's how hard you work and how dedicated you are."
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Damien on...
...qualifying for nationals:
"I'm recovering from an injury, so I was a little hesitant going into the preliminary round at Sacramento but after leaving that round I feel a lot better. Going to Eugene is a special honor, specifically because it's the last year that it will be historic Hayward Field. I go into the meet looking to finish as high as possible."
...experience he can bring to the meet:
"Familiarity with the runway, I know what the field looks like. The first time when I was there it was nerve-wracking and I was a little nervous, it was the national stage so I wanted to do well. Going in now, I'm more relaxed and I'm confident that I'll do better because I am more familiar with the field."
...mindset going into regionals:
"Going into the first rounds, I didn't know what to expect because of my injury, I was looking to do well and I was a little hesitant on my first throw. I felt my body react to the throw and I felt that I could relax and throw because it didn't hurt...I knew I could do it, I just had to go out there and do it, and I qualified."
...on his last meet to compete in a Shocker uniform:
"At Sacramento that was kind of the push behind me, was that if I didn't do well then it was going to be my last time to compete in a Shocker uniform. I wasn't ready to be done yet and I wanted one more shot at a national championship, it's a special thing and I'm ready to go out there and compete."
...coming from a small town:
"Coming from that background is special, the support we get from our small communities means a lot to us. I know from my parent's facebook page they have hundreds of people that I've never met before but they are congratulating me, telling me good luck and how proud they are of the way I'm representing the community."
The NCAA Championships begin on June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.,
Damien Odle and
Aaron True will be throwing the javelin on June 6, while
Hunter Veith will be competing in the decathlon on June 6-7.
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