Ohio isn’t chasing good weather just for the sake of it. The Bobcats are serious about going to meets where quality weather is likely.
They don’t want to see gloomy Midwestern skies, even as winter fades. They want to see the sun.
“If it was gray and cloudy outside, we’d all be like ‘Oh my God, I’m going to die today at practice,’ ” senior jumper Olivia Mayfield said.
Ohio traveled to North Carolina last weekend to compete at High Point’s Bob Davidson Spring Kick-Off. This weekend, the Bobcats will travel to North Carolina again — this time to compete at North Carolina State’s Raleigh Relays.
And the weekend’s weather is predicted to be in the low-to-mid 70s.
“Even last weekend it wasn’t too warm, but the sun was out,” Mayfield said. “So we were all like ‘All right, let’s go do it. Let’s get after it today.’ "
The Bobcats did more than just get after it, though, at last weekend’s meet. Ohio earned 12 lifetime personal records and 21 season personal records, which placed it No. 8 overall among a field of 16 teams.
The meet was only the Bobcats' second of the outdoor season, but they've already picked up momentum, a good asset to have as they prepare for the prestigious Raleigh Relays.
“It’s competitive, it’s well-established. We know that it’s going to be run well,” Mayfield said. “A lot of the big teams like to go there.”
The meet is so competitive that athletes had to qualify to compete. Ohio is only bringing 20 athletes to compete — the Bobcats have a total of 51 athletes on their roster.
But more competition is exactly what Ohio wants.
“We’re trying to set ourselves up to best position ourselves for getting individuals to (Mid-American Conference Championships) and to better their marks,” coach Clay Calkins said.
As the Bobcats look to continue their momentum, they’re hoping for some North Carolina sun, too. The weather will likely be quality again this weekend, and perhaps the team’s performance will be as well.
“It’s so crazy what a little sun can do,” Mayfield said.
