Youthful squad prepares for formidable Texas Relays
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 4, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 Daily Bruin File Photo Senior Steve
Michels competes in the pole vault during a meet at Mt.
Sac last season. UCLA will compete in the Texas Relays this
weekend. MEN’S TRACK Texas Relays Today-Saturday
All Day Austin, TX
By Glen Worthington
Daily Bruin Contributor
This is the first big test.
The No. 20 UCLA men’s track team has the opportunity to
prove itself against some of the top national competition in the
Texas Relays between today and Saturday.
“This is a high-energy, high-level meet,”
Men’s Head Coach Art Venegas said. “It’s our
first major challenge in terms of every event having to rise to the
occasion.”
Not only is the competition stiff, but the team must deal with
the exhaustion that comes from travelling such a long distance. The
Bruin team is also very young. For many of the athletes, this will
be their first important away competition.
The Bruin team, however, has the nation’s No. 4 freshman
class this year, according to Track and Field News.
Freshman Juaune Armon hopes to improve on his personal bests of
24-feet-1/4 inches in the long jump and 48-9 in the triple. He set
the marks while winning both events at a home meet last weekend.
Freshman Dan Ames competed in the UCSD Throws Meet instead of at
home, placing well against tough competition.
Freshman Warren Rogers has an important role as the lead off leg
in the 4×100-meter relay. He will also be running the 100m
dash.
The young Bruins, in all events, have a tough challenge ahead of
them.
“At this level,” Venegas said, “if you
don’t focus really well, you can be out of the meet
immediately. There’s no room for error in this meet. It
teaches the athletes to concentrate more.”
The Texas Relays is especially known for its sprints. In the
past, athletes like Carl Lewis, Maurice Greene and Donovan Bailey
have competed there. UCLA Sprint Coach John Smith is looking
forward to a strong showing in the 4x100m relay from Rogers,
sophomore Joe Hunter, junior Michael Lipscomb and senior Bryan
Harrison.
“I am expecting us to follow our fundamentals and do what
we’ve been practicing,” Smith said. “There will
be nine teams (in our heat) out there ““ nine fast
teams.”
Smith is looking for the relay team to run under 40 seconds for
the first time this season. The team has posted times in the 40.3
range, but with strong competition pushing it, Smith is expecting
the squad to reach a new level.
Junior thrower Scott Moser and sophomore hurdler Kyle Erickson
are ranked highly in their respective events; Moser in the shot put
and discus, Erickson in the 400m hurdles. Like the rest of the
team, they will be put to the test.
Smith put the meet in perspective.
“Texas is a step up,” he said. “This is what
the NCAAs are going to be like. It gives us a look at where
everybody is in respect to ourselves so we can come back to
practice and have some motivation to work.”
Venegas agreed.
“It’s the first important outdoor meet for us, not
that we have to place very high in it, but we have to show signs
that we’re going to be doing well in the Pac-10s and against
USC. It’s a real good preparation meet for us.”
The Bruins are expected to rise to the occasion and this
weekend’s performances may be stepping stones towards good
results to come later this season.
