Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
The Track and Field Supporting Cast
4/7/2006 11:30:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country
To the untrained eye, a typical Middle Tennessee track practice may seem extremely unorganized. Sprinters may be working on starts at the track while throwers are in the weight room doing squats. In the meantime, distance runners may be out on the streets of Murfreesboro doing an hour-long run. Needless to say, this is almost too much for one coach to keep up with at one time.
It is a good thing that Middle Tennessee has an experienced coach who understands the dynamics that go into building a successful team. Dean Hayes has spent 41 years at Middle Tennessee and coached a plethora of talented athletes. Hayes is a proven winner, as Middle Tennessee has won 11 of the 22 possible indoor and outdoor Sun Belt Conference championships since joining the league in 2000-01.
In order to keep up with the needs of each athlete on the team, Hayes has surrounded himself with an All-Star supporting cast. The list includes assistant coach Roger Kerr and volunteer assistants Thomas Keith and Andrew Owusu. Additionally, graduate assistants Keith Vroman, Dionne Henley-Rose and Laetitia Florimond help train members of the track & field team.
Kerr, who was a former head women's coach at Arizona State, helps a great deal with the sprinters and hurdlers. With his vibrant personality, he works extremely well with college-level athletes. Because he has tremendous relational skills with athletes, he is able to instill a great deal of mental toughness in his athletes. Though this quality is hard to measure, it is one of his most valuable tools as an assistant coach.
Keith and Owusu help out in the jumping events. Keith's specialty lies in the high jump while Owusu specializes in the horizontal jumps.
Owusu has a very impressive track and field resume. He was an NCAA champion in the long jump in 1996 and has represented Ghana in the last three summer Olympics. Owusu is extremely beneficial to younger jumpers at Middle Tennessee, as he passes down his knowledge and past jumping experiences.
Vroman, who is currently in his third year at Middle Tennessee, has enjoyed a substantial amount of success with the distance team. Middle Tennessee's track and field program does not have a tradition of great distance runners, but Vroman is trying to change that. Under his supervision stars like Jonathan Guillou and Derek Dell have been born. It is not only the top runners that are flourishing under Vroman's guidance. Nearly every runner on the distance team has run a personal best during his or her time at Middle Tennessee. This has added a tremendous amount of depth to Middle Tennessee track and field squad.
Florimond, a graduate student in the Health and Wellness department, attends to the needs of Middle Tennessee's throwers. The Gardahne, France, native has represented her country in European competitions and possesses a vast knowledge of the throwing events. Her success is clearly evident, as every thrower on the Middle Tennessee team has posted a personal best in his or her respective event this year.
Former Middle Tennessee standout hurdler/jumper Rose came back to Murfreesboro to obtain her master's degree. In her spare time, the former NCAA champion and two-time Olympian helps train female sprinters and hurdlers. Rose has been a tremendous influence on many of the young girls on the team. She provides first-hand experiences and has guided several Blue Raiders to athletic success. Rose has worked extensively with senior Candice Robertson, who won the indoor conference title and has already run a personal best this outdoor season.
With the Middle Tennessee track and field team, there is a lot that goes on behind closed doors that many people do not know about. There are a large number of people who play vital roles in the success and development of the team year in and year out. These people do not always get the credit or recognition they deserve, but theirs is an effort that is truly honorable and appreciated by the athletes they work with each and every day.
