Monday, August 21, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Juniors Courtney Deutsch and Charlie Gruber, both on the cross-country team, work on stretching and warming up before the first practice of the season starts early Friday morning. Photo by Brad Dreier /KANSAN
New coach in the dark about team's ability
By Ryan Malashock
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
About five seconds into his opening cross country practice, first-year head coach Stanley Redwine couldn't help but feel like the new guy in town. With his players waiting patiently in the dark for practice to begin, Redwine could only smile as he unsuccessfully struggled to turn on the lights at Anschutz Sports Pavilion.
The men's and women's cross country teams began their seasons early Saturday morning under an entirely new coaching staff. Redwine doesn't quite know what to expect from his teams this year, but he said he was confident that they'd get the maximum performances
out of their abilities.
"As coaches, we're definitely excited for the season," Redwine said. "We don't know too much about our individuals, but if we work hard as individuals, as well as a team, we should do some things."
Redwine took over the head coaching duties in cross country and track at Kansas after six years coaching at the University of Tulsa. Before Tulsa, he was an assistant at the University of Arkansas.
During his running career, Redwine was a four-time All-American at Arkansas. His career peaked and ended in 1996 as he finished fifth in the 800-meter run at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Mike Clark, who served as Redwine's assistant coach at Tulsa, will be an assistant coach for the Jayhawks this season.
Brian Ferry also was hired recently to assist the team.
Redwine particularly is looking forward to the first few weeks of practice. He said he hoped to use the time as a way to gauge the talent for this season. He said he knew the beginning of the season would be difficult, especially because he had seen so few of his runners in action.
“Well, at least after today, we know how to stretch,” Redwine said. “We're all still learning — players and coaches. It's way too early to really determine what kind of team we are going to have. Our coaches haven't seen many of the athletes, so it's going to be tough.”
A change in coaching hasn't changed the attitude of most of the runners, said Charlie Gruber. Denver junior.
"All of the runners are so excited for the new coaching staff. There's so much excitement here," Gruber said. "The coaches' have been great about talking with the few of us that they've talked to. Everybody's getting a lot of attention."
There are advantages to Redwine's inexperience with the team. One of the best perks of being a new coach, according to Redwine, is the fact that he hasn't seen any of the runners yet and has a very objective mind when it comes to this year.
"I can't really determine who the leaders are going to be this year or who will step up for us because I just don't know," he said. "I don't want to limit anybody at all. Everyone will get a chance this year."
- Edited by Lori O'Toole
Seasoned squad gives teams strength
By Ryan Malashock
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
And better results come with a better attitude.
With more than half of last season's men's and women's cross country teams returning, this year's squad promises to field better results.
The new attitude, along with the new coaching staff for this year's squads, has produced a new way of thinking for the season to come.
"The excitement around here is big," junior Charlie Gruber said. "We're looking to work real hard this year and have a great season."
Gruber, from Denver. Colo., is the top runner returning from last year's men's team that placed 11th out of 20 teams in the District V Championships.
The men's team also returns top runners Brent Behrens, Atalissa, Iowa, junior; Pete Prince, Lake Elmo, Minn., sophomore; and Brian Blachly, Paola junior.
Gruber placed 43rd in the District V Championships and is looking to improve on his performances from last year. He participated in the U.S.
Stanley Redwine
"We just need to train hard, and good things will happen for us.I'll have a better idea in a week or so just how good we can be."
cross country coach
Olympic Trials during the summer and said the summer competition helped to keep him in shape for this year.
"The trials are where I really started building up my running again," Gruber said. "It seems like everyone has kept in pretty good shape. It might take a little longer for some of us because all the training is progressive."
First-year coach Stanley Redwine said he knew the runners had been active during the summer. He said he was positive the only way to get into shape was to run — and then run some more.
"We know that a lot of our runners might not be in the best shape right now, but really it's the same at every school,"
he said. "It's just that some schools train harder in the season. That's where the difference is."
The women's cross country team returns all but two of its top eight runners this season, so expectations are higher. The women finished 20th out of 25 teams last year in the District V Championships.
"We just need to train hard, and good things will happen for us," Redwine said. "I'll have a better idea in a week or so just how good we can be."
Keely Malone.
Lawrence sophomore, finished 59th at the District V Championships and leads a potentially great team of six returning runners from last season.
Both cross country teams will open up with a home meet at Rim Rock Farm on Saturday, Sept. 9.
Redwine said his teams could go as far they wanted to go.
"As long as we give our all, we'll have a great season," he said.
- Edited by Lori O'Toole
Courtney Deutsch, Prior Lake, Minn., junior, goes through extensive stretching before practice starts. The cross country team has gone through a coaching change this year. Photo by Brad Dreier/KANSAN
Track athlete returns after Olympic trial experience
By Sarah Warren sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Charlie Gruber gave his family quite the summer vacation—a surprise trip to Sacramento, Calif.
In mid-August, the Gruber family headed to the Golden State to watch Charlie participate in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter runs at the U.S. Olympic trials.
Gruber, who in his three seasons at Kansas has racked up four Big 12 Conference titles — including two in the 1,500 meters — also gained entrance to the
entrance to the trials during a stint in a USA Track and Field developmental group. The group of six athletes competed in the CanAm Series early in the summer. Gruber and his five teammates ran in three of the five series meets in the United States and Canada.
Gruber qualified for the trials by running a 1:46.99 in the 800 meters at a meet in Boston and then running the 1,500 meters in 3:41.2 while later competing in Maine.
And then it was off to the trials.
'HAWKS AT THE TRIALS For the United States:
or the United States:
Charlie Gruber ran in the 1,500- and 800-meter but failed to reach the finals.
Andrea Branson competed in the pole vault, but failed to reach height.
For Canada:
Scott Russell placed first in the javelin.
Andrea Bulat placed second in the javelin. However, the two athletes did not reach Olympic qualifying marks and therefore are not yet stated to be sent to Sydney as part of the Canadian Olympic team. They await a decision from the Canadian Olympic governing body.
"I didn't run very well, but it was a good
experience." Gruber said. "It was just something to tuck away and tell stories about 40 years from now."
Running at the trials was just the tip of the iceberg on Gruber's cool experience scale; track and field superstars were running rampant.
"Everybody who was anybby in USA Track and Field was there," he said. "It was nice to see all the faces that I've read about."
In fact, his entire experience became a psuedo-athletic awakening for Gruber.
"I think that one thing that going to the trials did was open up my eyes," he said. "There's more out there than the Big 12. I have different expectations of myself now. It kind of made me start looking at track and field after I graduate, rather than looking at my senior year as the end."
New track and field coach Stanley Redwine said he couldn't be happier to have an athlete with trials experience running in his cross country and track and field programs.
"We're excited about having those Olympic-quality athletes," Redwine said. "Their experience is a great one to bring to the table for the athletes and the program."
With his track season just ending, Gruber began cross country practice last Saturday, running 62 miles a week after a short recuperation.
"I'm just trying to get back into shape and into a competitive mindset," he said. "And cross country sets up for track season really well."
Edited by Lori O'Toole
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