Track and field hosts Pac-12s, learns to resist comfort of home grounds

Hosting a critical meet like the Pac-12 championships can hold several key advantages for the host team.

For one, the host athletes don’t have to spend time packing bags and traveling in airplanes or buses. They can rest at home or in their dorms and walk over to the stadium they’ve practiced in for months, in some cases years.

“It’s a huge advantage to run at Drake (Stadium). … We practice here every day so it’s gonna be really familiar and comfortable,” said senior middle distance runner Ally Courtnall, who’s a member of the UCLA track and field team that will play host to this weekend’s Pac-12 championship meet.

Then there’s also the advantage of competing in front of a home crowd, which college track athletes rarely get to do during an outdoor season that consists primarily of invitationals on the road.

“It’s a huge advantage,” said junior middle distance runner Nick Hartle. “Just knowing that in tight races and events, the crowd is gonna be pulling for us and cheering. It’s gonna be great.”

But there’s one key factor that might actually play to the disadvantage of a track and field team that’s competing in its home stadium, said assistant sprints, hurdles and relays coach Joanna Hayes.

“Sometimes when you travel, you feel a competition, you feel like you’re in competition mode,” Hayes said.

Drake Stadium hasn’t been in “competition mode” many times this season. It has hosted three meets – one of which redshirt junior thrower Nicholas Scarvelis has described as “low-key” – and more than 100 Bruin track and field practices over the past five months.

“Some of the kids are like, ‘Oh, you know, I kind of feel like I’m just going to practice,'” Hayes said.

Scarvelis was one of the athletes who felt that way during the Legends Invitational at Drake Stadium back in April.

“It does kind of feel like a practice up until they call your name, ‘Scarvelis in the ring,’” he said.

But the atmosphere should at least look a little different than a practice come this Saturday, with the Pac-12 championship regalia spread across the field.

“It’s gonna be set up differently, so it won’t look like it does at practice,” Hayes said. “It’ll be more exciting, there will be flags everywhere, and signs and things like that, and officials and tents, so it’ll look different.”

And with UCLA hosting the Pac-12 title meet for the first time in 10 years, there should be more spectators in the stands as well.

“(Hosting Pac-12s) happens once every 12 years, so it’s really special,” Hartle said.

With the rarity of this occasion in mind, Hayes said she’s been telling her athletes all week to make the most of it.

“(We try to) make sure that each one knows, ‘Hey this is not just a regular track meet, this is not practice – this is our conference championship,'” Hayes said. “And, yes, we’re at home. So get excited, because we’re defending something here, we’re trying to make sure everyone knows that this is our track.”

Contributing reports by Vikram Sairam, Bruin Sports contributor.