Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Following a long, productive preseason, the Virginia Tech track and field team is ready for the new season to commence.
The Hokies open their 2017 campaign in one week, as they play host to the Virginia Tech Invitational on Jan. 13-14, at Rector Fieldhouse, in Blacksburg. Directed by 16-year coach Dave Cianelli, the Hokie coaching staff is excited to see the 2017 competition season unfold.
Most recently, we sat down with sprints, hurdles and relays coach Tim Vaught. Vaught is following a debut campaign in which every one of his athletes set personal bests during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Senior Nora McKiver and junior Darius Watkins headlined the contingent of sprinters and hurdlers last season. Additionally, junior Courtney Blanden represented Tech’s sprinters at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds during the 2016 outdoor season.
Read on as coach Vaught discusses his event group’s goals, leadership tactics and keys to success for the upcoming season or click HERE to watch the full season preview.
Talk a little about your event group. What are your goals for the upcoming season?
Coach Tim Vaught: We have a fairly young and talented group on both the men’s and women’s side. The fall training went very well on both sides. The returners are stronger and faster than they were last year. I am super excited about the upcoming season. My goal this year is to definitely have a bigger impact on the indoor championship than what we had last year in this area. We have to constantly keep building, building a tradition. We come here to win, and that’s the goal. Hopefully, the men can repeat outdoors, and hopefully, we can get the women in the hunt.
With the start of the 2017 season right around the corner, how would you access the progress the team has made throughout the preseason? How has the training developed over the last couple months?
TV: Our training is a long period, but I think it has been going very well. The freshmen are working very hard. The returners are working very hard. The test that I put them through, they have done an outstanding job with different tests that I have put them through. Right now, it’s all about keeping their confidence up and keeping them focused for the upcoming season.
What is the best way to describe this particular group?
TV: I think it’s a group that wants to win. The men’s team won the conference championship last year. They are on a high, and they want to keep going. My group is a small group, and we added more sprinters this year. It has given us extra motivation to be able to go back to conference and really have a big impact on the conference championship this year.
You’re currently in your second season as the sprints, hurdles and relays coach at Virginia Tech. What is it like to be a part of such a successful program, and how has this squad improved compared to last season?
TV: This program knows how to win. Throughout my whole career, I always wanted to be a part of a program that is constantly winning conference championships. When I had an opportunity to come here, I felt like I was a part of an all-star team. The coaching staff here is great. Each event area has gone above and beyond with what they have been doing. For me to be a part of that, it is definitely going to raise my bar and help keep the winning tradition going. It’s outstanding to be a part of a tradition with a team that knows how to win.
Highlighted by McKiver and Watkins, every one of your athletes set a personal best during the indoor and outdoor seasons last year. Who are you looking at to assume a leadership this season?
TV: (Junior) Darius (Watkins) and (senior) Nora (McKiver) are two returning leaders for both programs. I think they are both working very hard. (Junior) Courtney (Blanden) is definitely making strides and was the only sprinter who made outdoor regionals last year. She is a hard worker, and she wants to be No. 1. We have a transfer on the men’s side. (Junior) Greg Chiles came in and is a very experienced transfer from the SEC. He is bringing some of that experience over, so we are going to have quite a few leaders on the team this year to make a stride and be very competitive.
Along those same lines, this year’s group has a solid mix of returners and newcomers on the Hokie roster. Does anyone stand out to you early on? What lessons can last year’s newcomers pass on to this season’s freshmen and transfers that will help them compete right away?
TV: With the returners, they know it starts at practice. I’m constantly telling them, if you are not in it to win it, they why are you in it? That mentality starts at practice. For the returners, they know that they won personal bests through the system last year. One big thing is trusting what I am telling them and having full trust in the system. I think that has happened a lot with the returners, especially with the newcomers. I can hear them. I know the workouts are hard, but do them. Do them because it is going to get better. It makes it easier for me to get things done on the track.
Last year’s squad just missed qualifying for the 2016 NCAA Championships. Have you seen a new fire in the runners’ eyes throughout the preseason?
TV: I keep telling them to stay hungry. You have to stay hungry in this sport. Last year, the guys came up short with not being able to make regionals. We had (junior) Courtney (Blanden) make regionals, but she didn’t make it to nationals. This year, there is a burning desire in their eye that says we are going to be at nationals. We are going to make an impact. Last year was last year. I always tell them that last year is in the past. We have nothing to do about that now, but we have everything to do with the future. They have to stay focus and keep working hard, and great things are going to come out of this year.