High Expectations for Scots Heading into MIAA Championships this Weekend
ALMA, Mich. - This year's MIAA Championship Meet is an opportunity for the team to perform and measure itself against the other schools as well as gain experience.The ultimate outcome of this meet, at Jenison High School Thursday through Saturday, will be an overall men's team champion and women's team champion. In the process of it individuals have another chance to qualify for the NCAA National Championships with the help of the toughest competition this season. The MIAA is always represented at the NCAA Championships and this year four (4) Scots will give their best effort at reaching the "big dance". Freshmen Spencer Johnson (Grand Ledge) and Sarah Anderson (Marshall) will have their first opportunity to swim shaved this season. Both have experienced improvements before taper this year and hope to reach the NCAA meet sooner than later. Sophomore Steve Rose (Essexville/Garber) joined the team late, after a fine Cross Country season and has put himself in contention for an individual MIAA championship and NCAA berth. Finally, Senior Brent Gostomski (Trenton) could not only make the NCAAs this weekend but also set a school record in the process.
This meet is the culmination of months - if not years of - hard work representing Alma College. For seniors Brent Gostomski, Luke Livingston (Trenton) and Kelly Marks (Berkley) it is their last MIAA meet. For these seniors the meet truly symbolizes the product of four years dedication. What's most exciting for the Scots is this will be a learning experience for the rest of the team. The Maroon and Cream have only three seniors and return the other sixteen (16) athletes. For those returning next year this meet will give them more to opportunities to grow as athletes.
Under head coach Kyle Schack the team has already improved from the 2005-06 season before taper. The goal for this year's team is to break as many school records as possible. Coach Schack said that seven records are within reach and three are realistic goals.
Coach Schack also says that 100 is the magic number this year. That number has several meanings for the Scots. First of all, the team has struggled to reach 100 points in recent years so breaking the 100-point mark would be a nice improvement as a team. Second, the goal is for 100 percent of the team to do lifetime best swims and dives this weekend. Schack is confident that the team will get 100 percent effort because effort, he says, is never the Scots' problem.
Posted: Wed, February 7th, 2007 at 9:19AM
