St. Lawrence hosted their first track meet of the season this past Friday, December 1, competing against Potsdam and Plattsburg. SLU dominated the competing schools, their strongest events being the women’s mile, men’s 3000-meter, women’s 800-meter, and men’s 200-meter dash.
Cassidy Scott, who competed in the 800-meter run, revealed to reporters that “Friday was a really great opportunity for the entire team to come together and compete together for the first time this year. It was awesome to see all of the potential that the first years brought to the team, as well as the hard training put in by the returners this autumn. I anticipate and look forward to growing as a team in the next few months.”
Another runner for SLU, Zach Lang, who competed in the 3000-meter run, also portrayed the meet in a positive way: “I think that both the women’s and men’s teams are poised to have a great season. We had a lot of really good early indicators from both the track and the field that would suggest that we have very good potential this season. Everyone on the team looks out for one another and it is that spirit you get that everyone else is doing well, so you should too. That really helps us set up well for every meet. It’s the team spirit that SLU carries that helps all the way from top to bottom.”
Lang accurately emphasized the Saints’ clear domination in track events and their major victories in field, like both the men’s and women’s shot put, women’s high jump, and men’s weight throw. Dylan Babcock captured first place easily in both shot put and weight throw, with his fellow Saint, Kevin Danaher, following closely behind in the weight throw.
The SLU family showed up in the crowd to support their fellow Saints. The stands looking down at the indoor track and field in Newell Field House were almost full. Every bench was occupied by SLU fans, leaving no bench vacant.
The Sixth Annual Special Olympics took place in the Newell Field House on Saturday, December 2. SLU student athletes helped run the event and made the athletes, who travelled from all over to the Newell Field House, feel welcome as a part of the SLU family. The 30-meter walk, 60-meter walk, 60-meter dash, 200-meter walk, and 200-meter dash were the events that the athletes chose to participate in.
Later that same day, the Saints also hosted the Fastest Kid in the North Country event on the indoor track. Hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the competition. Athletes ages 6 and younger competed in the 55-meters, while the 7 to 10-year-olds ran one 200-meter lap around the track.
Track and field head coach, John Newman, was inspired to host the event after spectating the Fastest Kid in NYC before a track meet at the Armory in New York City about 11 years ago. After Saturday’s events at SLU, he told reporters that “It is a blast to be able to showcase these fledgling runners at St. Lawrence and help expose kids to the sport of track and field”.
Evan Page ’18, who competed in the 3000-meter run during Friday’s track meet reflected on the kids’ event he helped host: “It is always so fun working with the kids. They all love the event. They look forward to being able to race and are so happy, while the parents are grateful that we put this on.”
Overall, it was a fun weekend in the Newell Field House, starting on Friday with the Saints’ first track meet of the season and ending on Saturday with the Special Olympics and Fastest Kid in the North Country events.