Tomorrow, Cornell will play host to 15 other schools from across the area in the annual Cornell Relays event. The unscored meet, which is the first of the season, provides the teams that compete in it an opportunity to test out their skills and see where they stand after weeks of practice, and also give a group of revved up athletes the chance to release some of the fervor that has building inside them after a long season of practice with no competition.
For a Red team that has been practicing officially for over a month, and unofficially since the end of the summer, the Relays are anxiously awaited as they are the first chance to see the affects of the many hours spent training during the off-season.
“We have all been working really hard for quite a while,” women’s co-captain Alyssa Simon said, “and while you’re training you can see that you’re getting stronger and you’re getting faster, but that really doesn’t mean anything until you see how you fare against competition.”
Simon’s head coach, Lou Duesing, agreed with her, saying, “Even though this meet is unscored, it is impossible to overstate it’s importance. Everyone on the team has been working on their running, their throwing, or their jumping, and this is really a great opportunity for them to see where they stand, and how much they have improved.”
Aside from being a barometer for the team’s preparedness, the Relays also serve as an excellent way for the Red to let out the energy and excitement that has been building in them since the season began.
“The best part about being an athlete is the competition, not the practice,” said men’s co-captain Ryan Schmidt. “So we have all been waiting for a long time to actually compete against other schools, and I think that the Relays are really important for us in that respect.
“A third aspect of the Relays that is significant for the Red is that they allow some of the squad’s younger talent to showcase themselves in a competitive environment. Many of the freshmen have been itching to experience collegiate action, and with the Relays around the corner they have been getting even more excited.”
“I know that when I was a freshman I got really excited about the Cornell Relays, since they were the first meet of the season and of my collegiate career,” said Schmidt, a senior. “This year I think it will be the same way, cause I’ve definitely heard some of the freshmen talking about it with enthusiasm.”
Archived article by Jacob Lieberman
Sun Staff Writer