Your purpose as a student at Christopher Newport University is to become a well-educated, well-rounded, decent and thoughtful human being. Participating in the Track & Field program is one aspect of your holistic growth.
You are a student-athlete—in that order. You will make decisions on a daily basis that affect your academic and athletic performance so you must consider your options carefully. The coaching staff will do what we can to help ensure that you are achieving the balance necessary to be successful in the classroom as well as in Track & Field. Success in the classroom will positively affect your performance in competition.
The Track & Field program is designed for you to maximize your development over the course of your CNU career. The development program has a specific focus for each season that is designed to meet this goal:
Fr
Orientation to the program, competition, and college life;
Develop a strength base and focus on fundamental technique/strategy
So
Greater competitive load/pressure, experimental events;
Develop a power/speed base and master fundamental technique/strategy
Jr
Be mentors for new members of the program;
Primary emphasis on power/speed development and advanced technique/strategy
Sr
Provide leadership in practice and meets—set the tone for the program;
Fine tune power/speed and technique/strategy to reap the rewards of the long-term program
The purpose of competition is to push you out of your comfort zone and into your achievement zone. Everyone, no matter how driven, limits themselves mentally either by fear or rationality. Competition offers the distraction necessary to go beyond your conscious limits. Competitive focus is a learned skill.
Track & Field is a TEAM SPORT. The sport provides each individual the opportunity to go as far as their legs will carry them. Additionally, team performance influences the atmosphere in which you will train and compete. The more attention you pay to your responsibilities to the team, the more you will benefit from its support.