2013 Track & Field Season Outlook
While the Indoor Season for the Conqs comes to a close this Friday and Saturday, March 1st and 2nd at the NJCAA National meet hosted by Texas Tech in Lubbock Texas, outdoor season is just around the corner. The Conqs will open their outdoor season over Spring Break at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas on March 14, 2013. Entering his eighth season, Head Coach Cole Ballard is committed to building an outstanding track and field program founded on the principles of Pride, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Enthusiasm.
With 32 competing athletes the program has more than tripled in the past three years. “We are very excited about our numbers which will continue to grow”, commented Coach Ballard “yet even more importantly we are thrilled about not only the talent these athletes possess, but also the work ethic, enthusiasm and dedication many of them bring to the table. Coach Smith is also looking forward to a successful outdoor season due to the nature of athletes in the program this year. “We have a great group of student athletes that have bonded together well and have begun to experience the team cohesiveness that is required to have a quality program. This group works hard on and off the track. They are dedicated to showing not only their peers and parents, but also all of Kansas that they are here to compete and to win. They definitely have Conq P.R.I.D.E.”
Coach Ballard expects the success that was founded during indoor season will continue throughout outdoor season as well. “Our front runners as far as competition is concerned is freshmen Vincente Estrella, the Region Six 800 meter champion, Darvell Harris, Sophmores Cory English who captured 3rd at Region Six in the High Jump, and Dashonda Johnson who placed 3rd at the Region Six meet with a PR of 9.07 hurdles and is expected to place at Indoor Nationals as well this weekend. “We are also very excited to see progress in several of our freshmen who continue to improve at every meet” commented Smith.
2012 Cross Country Season Outlook
Entering his second year, Head Coach Cole Ballard has high hopes for this season. With 5 returning sophomores the program begins their season Saturday, September 7
th in Colby Kansas with knowledge of what it takes to be successful on the course in the Jayhawk Conference. Sophmores include: Raymundo Garcia, Christian Navarette, Cody Theis, Eric Klotz and Janelyn Nichols.
While these sophomores may bring experience, it is the freshman class that has Ballard enthusiastic about the upcoming season. Freshman include: Jerry Isakson, Woodrow Patrick, Anthony Carmona, Ruth Palacios, Vanessa De La Cruiz, and Stephanie Fryre. Local talent Anthony Carmona and Vanessa De La Cruiz from Dodge City High School both brought excitement, dedication, and leadership to the table from the first day of practice. Carmona and De La Cruiz have both experienced success at the high school level and are expected to continue their success this year at the collegiate level. Freshmen Woody Patrick and Jerry Isakson also bring intensity and enthusiasm and have the ability to be competitive in the Jayhawk Conference.
While still on the short side as far as numbers are concerned, the anticipation of a successful season continues to build as Assistant Track and Field Coach Melanie Smith, also a Dodge City High School graduate has joined Ballard to help lead the Cross Country program to a new level. While new to the Cross Country program, Coach Smith is in her second season at Dodge City Community College after coaching Track and Field last spring.