Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Cross Country Preview: Q&A With Coach Straub
9/4/2015 8:41:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Director of cross country and track & field, Jen Straub talks about the women's team's upcoming season. The Wildcats kick off the 2015 campaign at the Richmond Invite, Sept. 5.
Q: What are some of the goals heading into the season?
Coach Straub: One of our biggest goals this season is to try and improve upon our fifth place finish at the 2014 Atlantic 10 Championship.
Q: What has the team been doing this preseason to get ready for the year?
Coach Straub: For preseason, we went to the mountains and extended our stay by a night, giving the team a bigger opportunity to work together and get to know each other. We had the classes take turn fixing dinner for everyone and that was a really great bonding experience. The classes had to work together and it helped to forge a bond among the team.
In terms of the training component, the trip to the mountains was a great way to kick start the season in terms of rolling out workouts early.
Q: How will your schedule prepare the team for the Atlantic 10 Championship?
Coach Straub: We have a really competitive schedule this fall that will help us to prepare us for the Atlantic 10 Championships. We are going to go to open the season at the Richmond Invite to get a look at the course ahead of time. That will give us an idea of what type of course – fast, flat, hilly, etc. – so that we can gear our training to best prepare us for the conference championships at the end of the season.
Q: What do you expect from the team this weekend?
Coach Straub: This weekend we open at the Richmond Invitational. Our approach as a team is to get our first competition under our belts, run as a unit, rather than individual performances and just to see where we are fitness wise. As the season unfolds, we'll get stronger and stronger competition and I think we'll be ready when championships season rolls around.
Q: How will the team build off a successful inaugural conference championship appearance?
Coach Straub: We really have to be mindful and purposeful of about our racing. We need to try and make improvements that will have the most impact. In other words, we had some places back in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, where we need our back to be more in the 30s. We also need to make sure we have some front running to replace Erin Osment and Sarah Paddon.
Q: How will experience and leadership of the seniors impact this season?
Coach Straub: Our four seniors have been critical to our program's success over the course of the last three years. They lead by example. These girls come to practice every day ready to work hard and push each other. They have bought into what we are trying to accomplish here. They have been leaders on and off the course since day one, and that type of leadership has been absolutely invaluable to our program.
Q: How is the class of 2018 transitioning into competing at this level?
Coach Straub: Caroline Yarbrough from Page High School in Greensboro, N.C., is one of the top recruits in the country. We will look for her to make an immediate impact on our team. Sophia Mills, Abby Fry and Laney O'Shea are all developing athletes, who I think will continue to emerge throughout their four-years at Davidson. We're really excited to see what the future holds for them.
Q: What are some of the goals heading into the season?
Coach Straub: One of our biggest goals this season is to try and improve upon our fifth place finish at the 2014 Atlantic 10 Championship.
Q: What has the team been doing this preseason to get ready for the year?
Coach Straub: For preseason, we went to the mountains and extended our stay by a night, giving the team a bigger opportunity to work together and get to know each other. We had the classes take turn fixing dinner for everyone and that was a really great bonding experience. The classes had to work together and it helped to forge a bond among the team.
In terms of the training component, the trip to the mountains was a great way to kick start the season in terms of rolling out workouts early.
Q: How will your schedule prepare the team for the Atlantic 10 Championship?
Coach Straub: We have a really competitive schedule this fall that will help us to prepare us for the Atlantic 10 Championships. We are going to go to open the season at the Richmond Invite to get a look at the course ahead of time. That will give us an idea of what type of course – fast, flat, hilly, etc. – so that we can gear our training to best prepare us for the conference championships at the end of the season.
Q: What do you expect from the team this weekend?
Coach Straub: This weekend we open at the Richmond Invitational. Our approach as a team is to get our first competition under our belts, run as a unit, rather than individual performances and just to see where we are fitness wise. As the season unfolds, we'll get stronger and stronger competition and I think we'll be ready when championships season rolls around.
Q: How will the team build off a successful inaugural conference championship appearance?
Coach Straub: We really have to be mindful and purposeful of about our racing. We need to try and make improvements that will have the most impact. In other words, we had some places back in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, where we need our back to be more in the 30s. We also need to make sure we have some front running to replace Erin Osment and Sarah Paddon.
Q: How will experience and leadership of the seniors impact this season?
Coach Straub: Our four seniors have been critical to our program's success over the course of the last three years. They lead by example. These girls come to practice every day ready to work hard and push each other. They have bought into what we are trying to accomplish here. They have been leaders on and off the course since day one, and that type of leadership has been absolutely invaluable to our program.
Q: How is the class of 2018 transitioning into competing at this level?
Coach Straub: Caroline Yarbrough from Page High School in Greensboro, N.C., is one of the top recruits in the country. We will look for her to make an immediate impact on our team. Sophia Mills, Abby Fry and Laney O'Shea are all developing athletes, who I think will continue to emerge throughout their four-years at Davidson. We're really excited to see what the future holds for them.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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