From early morning practices, to late-night study sessions and everything else in between, participating in a sport at the collegiate level can almost seem like a job itself.
It is no secret that the life of a student athlete is demanding in many ways, but for some members of the track team, their experiences within the program have greatly impacted their time spent at the University of Memphis.
For freshman Josh Owten, the beginning of the indoor track season marks an opprotunity to represent the school in the best way possible and maximize his potential.
“I have one goal for the season, and that is to reach full potential, and for myself everyone to give maximum effort in every event and practice,” Owten said.
As their new season approaches full-swing, time management becomes pivotal for the athletic and academic careers of the students involved. Without the track team’s structure, Owten knows college would be vastly different.
“It has taught me to manage my time and focus on things that are more important,” Owten said. “Without track, I would not have taken school as seriously or been as focused.”
Although the track and field athletes may not receive the same amount of attention from the students and the community as otherathletes do, they are still proud to be Tigers and to represent Memphis through their hard work and preparation.
Indoor season, which began on Dec. 1, 2018 with the Vanderbilt Opener in Nashville, Tennessee, runs until the end of the American Athletic Conference championships Feb. 23. The Tigers track roster has been motivated to make this season successful after a strong first performance, in which featured jumper Jordan Wesner broke the facility record for the high jump.
Following the conclusion of the indoor season, the team will then shift to the outdoor season, which lasts longer and features more competitions overall. Slated to begin on March 15 with the Rhodes Invitational, the outdoor team will be looking to replicate last year’s success, when they finished second in the conference championships behind three-time defending conference champion powerhouse Houston.
“We’re a young, talented team that is extremely motivated to be successful,” then junior sprinter Hunter Miniard said.
College can be one of the most stressful times in the lives of young adults. For student athletes who dedicate large amounts of their life to their sport and make sacrifices in their social and academic lives, the pressure is only increased, but for the track team, the hours of stretches, sprints and weights all become worth it when they cross the finish line wearing Tiger blue.
