University of Minnesota Athletics
Bingle Previews Jack Johnson Classic
1/26/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota director of women's track & field and cross country Matt Bingle checks in with GopherSports.com as the Gophers prepare to host the Jack Johnson Classic this week.
Gopher Sports: What are you looking for from the team this weekend at the Jack Johnson Classic?
Matt Bingle: Well, it's kind of a mixture of things. A lot of the distance runners are taking a weekend off, depending on what they've done so far. The throwers are going to throw. The sprinters and jumpers are kind of a mixed bag too as far as who's competing and who is not. We're getting to the point now where we're making sure we're setting ourselves up for February in terms of what we're doing. Some people are a little banged up, some people just need to rest, and some need to race or compete, so that's kind of how we're doing it. Overall, we want to do well at home. Obviously, it's nice to be at home and get some rest, sleep in our own beds. February is super important in terms of getting to the end of indoor season.
GS: What is it like balancing workouts and competitions to make sure each individual is doing what she needs to do to be successful?
MB: It's normal. There is a lot of modification to workouts and schedules. I think it's important to meet each athlete's needs based on where they're at -- rest them when they need to rest. We want to make sure that we are a good-sized team but also individually coach each student-athlete.
GS: What is special about the Jack Johnson Classic this year?
MB: Every year, the meet is a great opportunity to honor Jack, our former equipment manager. It's a big meet for us. This year, we have some good competition coming in with Western Michigan, South Dakota, Marquette, Iowa Central, University of Manitoba, Nebraska-Omaha, and Chicago State. It's going to be a competitive meet. All of those teams have some great athletes. On the women's side, it should be what we need, a little bit more depth in the field as we gear up for Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Iowa State in the next couple weeks. It's a good opportunity to compete at home in front of friends and family, sleep in their own beds, and have another good week of training because we haven't had to be on the road.
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