University of Minnesota Athletics
The Steeles Push Each Other to Excel on the Track
5/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Watching a track meet, you would never guess that the two Steele's on the roster were related, but this is just a part of the special relationships they share. "I don't need to tell her what to do during a race, I tell her earlier in the week during practice. So during a race we don't talk too much," Adam said. "I'm not a loud guy that will get on the track and yell, and she knows that. She knows that I'm there watching and cheering her on, and doing the best I can to support her."
They both started off at the University relatively below the radar, but in the past year, anyone who is a fan of Minnesota track and field has become quite familiar with the two names. Adam says there were a few factors that aided his recent rise to fame "My season ended at the Big Ten Championships the first few years, and when I was given the added two weeks of the season at regionals, that was all I needed," he said. "And now there's Mitch Potter and other guys that I can compete with, now I can chase people down." The fact that he is a five-time All-American and the 2003 NCAA 400-meter dash champion has also helped make him a household name. Melissa attributes her own recent successes at the Big Ten Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Region Championships to the new coaching. "We got a new coach (Matt Bingle) last year, and I think his coaching technique really works with mine," she said. "We started focusing on little things after my freshman year which helped me better prepare for the really big meets."
With Melissa's recent success at the Big Ten Championships, both were very happy about her big accomplishment of placing second in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 59.32 seconds, her first sub-minute race. "Everything I had been working for all year came together there," Melissa said. Adam was equally excited, "To see her get second was the highlight of the meet for me," he said. "I was so proud of her because she really should be recognized for all the hard work and good things she has done."
Melissa has also viewed Adam as a role model, and as motivation to strive to achieve what he has in his time at the University. "He's been through it all," she said. "So he knows exactly what you're talking about, and he's one of the few people who can understand, because he's been there and done it. To see what his success has brought him helps me to motivate myself."
Both say their parents are incredibly supportive and Adam says he may not thank them enough for it. "One weekend when Melissa was at Purdue and I was at Illinois, they drove to see both of us at different times," he said. Melissa said laughing "They're known as the parents who are always at the track, the crazy ones trying to get to all our meets."
As for their families away from home, both runners are very close to their teammates and coaches. "Our coaches are big on team bonding and bringing everyone together and I think that has really shown in the team," Melissa said. "We all get along and we push each other hard." Adam loves the atmosphere at practice and knows his teammates will always be able to make him laugh. But he attributes a large part of his success to coach Phil Lundin. "To have Phil mentor me through the past five years and to take me where I have gotten, I can't thank him enough for it," Adam said. "He has stood by my side when times were low, like my freshman year and was patient with me and encouraged me to work hard."
Adam also credits Lundin for having chosen the University of Minnesota over other schools. "What got me here was Phil," Adam said. "He was persistent and did all the work, and I know I made it tough on him. But I'm glad he was so persistent about it because if it wasn't for him, I'd never be where I am today, that's for sure." Melissa also really liked the coaching staff at the University of Minnesota, along with the atmosphere of a large University and all of the opportunities it had to offer.
When it comes to balancing school and track, these two track stars are pros. Both said they would not know what to do with all the free time they would have if they were not involved in a sport. "I used to joke that if I spent as much time on school as I did with track and practices, I would be a genius," Adam said laughing.
Free time for these two is far and in between, but when they do have it, both enjoy simply relaxing. Adam enjoys camping in the Boundary Waters and riding his motorcycle, and Melissa enjoys watching funny movies and traveling. Thanks to Adam competing in the World Championships last summer, Melissa was able to see Paris. With the Olympic trials this July, hopefully Melissa will be able to see her brother compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Melissa is ending her season in a way that she had not before this year; at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships with her brother, and then possibly on to the NCAA Championships. She is sad that this is her brother's last year, since he has always been on the Minnesota team since she started. "Ever since the beginning he has always been there, setting high standards for me," she said. "But with Adam gone next year, it will be my first year running without him, so it will be kind of weird."
As for goals for herself in the future, Melissa hopes to keep lowering her times and improve as a team, "That has been a goal ever since I got here," she said. With a lot of new freshmen coming in, the next year could be a very exciting year for Melissa.
With his year still in full swing, Adam has not had too much time to think back on his past five years as a Gopher. "I'm just starting to realize that this is the last time, this is the last time I'm going to Drake or Texas with a Minnesota jersey on," Adam said. But he is not thinking about it too much right now, he is currently focused on the task at hand, "The part of the year I look forward to has just started, the other stuff is just preparatory," he said. "Regionals and Nationals is where it becomes fun."
The Gopher men's track and field roster will appear quite empty without Adam next year, and Melissa has big shoes to fill following her brother's accomplishments and success. But with her hard work, motivation, and determination, the women's track and field team has a bright future ahead of them. Though the siblings may miss each other on the track, Adam looks back fondly on his time as a Gopher "I didn't know how special it was all going to be. When I first got here, I never would have dreamed of it," Adam said.
Written by Raya Jewell, Media Relations Assistant For Adam and Melissa Steele, sharing the track is nothing new. This brother/sister duo has been on the same team since they started running in high school. But with the incredible individual accomplishments the two of them have had in the last year, it is difficult not to notice them. As Adam prepares to finish of his last year as a Gopher and is reflecting upon his time here, Melissa has many new hopes and goals for the rest of her time here at the University of Minnesota.
Watching a track meet, you would never guess that the two Steele's on the roster were related, but this is just a part of the special relationships they share. "I don't need to tell her what to do during a race, I tell her earlier in the week during practice. So during a race we don't talk too much," Adam said. "I'm not a loud guy that will get on the track and yell, and she knows that. She knows that I'm there watching and cheering her on, and doing the best I can to support her."
They both started off at the University relatively below the radar, but in the past year, anyone who is a fan of Minnesota track and field has become quite familiar with the two names. Adam says there were a few factors that aided his recent rise to fame "My season ended at the Big Ten Championships the first few years, and when I was given the added two weeks of the season at regionals, that was all I needed," he said. "And now there's Mitch Potter and other guys that I can compete with, now I can chase people down." The fact that he is a five-time All-American and the 2003 NCAA 400-meter dash champion has also helped make him a household name. Melissa attributes her own recent successes at the Big Ten Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Region Championships to the new coaching. "We got a new coach (Matt Bingle) last year, and I think his coaching technique really works with mine," she said. "We started focusing on little things after my freshman year which helped me better prepare for the really big meets."
With Melissa's recent success at the Big Ten Championships, both were very happy about her big accomplishment of placing second in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 59.32 seconds, her first sub-minute race. "Everything I had been working for all year came together there," Melissa said. Adam was equally excited, "To see her get second was the highlight of the meet for me," he said. "I was so proud of her because she really should be recognized for all the hard work and good things she has done."
Melissa has also viewed Adam as a role model, and as motivation to strive to achieve what he has in his time at the University. "He's been through it all," she said. "So he knows exactly what you're talking about, and he's one of the few people who can understand, because he's been there and done it. To see what his success has brought him helps me to motivate myself."
Both say their parents are incredibly supportive and Adam says he may not thank them enough for it. "One weekend when Melissa was at Purdue and I was at Illinois, they drove to see both of us at different times," he said. Melissa said laughing "They're known as the parents who are always at the track, the crazy ones trying to get to all our meets."
As for their families away from home, both runners are very close to their teammates and coaches. "Our coaches are big on team bonding and bringing everyone together and I think that has really shown in the team," Melissa said. "We all get along and we push each other hard." Adam loves the atmosphere at practice and knows his teammates will always be able to make him laugh. But he attributes a large part of his success to coach Phil Lundin. "To have Phil mentor me through the past five years and to take me where I have gotten, I can't thank him enough for it," Adam said. "He has stood by my side when times were low, like my freshman year and was patient with me and encouraged me to work hard."
Adam also credits Lundin for having chosen the University of Minnesota over other schools. "What got me here was Phil," Adam said. "He was persistent and did all the work, and I know I made it tough on him. But I'm glad he was so persistent about it because if it wasn't for him, I'd never be where I am today, that's for sure." Melissa also really liked the coaching staff at the University of Minnesota, along with the atmosphere of a large University and all of the opportunities it had to offer.
When it comes to balancing school and track, these two track stars are pros. Both said they would not know what to do with all the free time they would have if they were not involved in a sport. "I used to joke that if I spent as much time on school as I did with track and practices, I would be a genius," Adam said laughing.
Free time for these two is far and in between, but when they do have it, both enjoy simply relaxing. Adam enjoys camping in the Boundary Waters and riding his motorcycle, and Melissa enjoys watching funny movies and traveling. Thanks to Adam competing in the World Championships last summer, Melissa was able to see Paris. With the Olympic trials this July, hopefully Melissa will be able to see her brother compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Melissa is ending her season in a way that she had not before this year; at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships with her brother, and then possibly on to the NCAA Championships. She is sad that this is her brother's last year, since he has always been on the Minnesota team since she started. "Ever since the beginning he has always been there, setting high standards for me," she said. "But with Adam gone next year, it will be my first year running without him, so it will be kind of weird."
As for goals for herself in the future, Melissa hopes to keep lowering her times and improve as a team, "That has been a goal ever since I got here," she said. With a lot of new freshmen coming in, the next year could be a very exciting year for Melissa.
With his year still in full swing, Adam has not had too much time to think back on his past five years as a Gopher. "I'm just starting to realize that this is the last time, this is the last time I'm going to Drake or Texas with a Minnesota jersey on," Adam said. But he is not thinking about it too much right now, he is currently focused on the task at hand, "The part of the year I look forward to has just started, the other stuff is just preparatory," he said. "Regionals and Nationals is where it becomes fun."
The Gopher men's track and field roster will appear quite empty without Adam next year, and Melissa has big shoes to fill following her brother's accomplishments and success. But with her hard work, motivation, and determination, the women's track and field team has a bright future ahead of them. Though the siblings may miss each other on the track, Adam looks back fondly on his time as a Gopher "I didn't know how special it was all going to be. When I first got here, I never would have dreamed of it," Adam said.
Written by Raya Jewell, Media Relations Assistant
