The Grambling State University Track and Field teamed competed in the SWAC Indoor Championship Track and Field Meet in Birmingham, Alabama during February 20-21.
Coach Bertram Lovell openly praises the school’s team for their performance in both last year’s SWAC Conference and this year’s conference.
“Last year we had a good season. We always have a good season so far, especially the men’s team,” said Coach Lovell.
Lovell pointed out the women’s team, in both the long distance and field events, were instrumental in the success at these championships. “We’ve got an all around performance in the distance and the field events have contributed to the success in the championships,” said Coach Lovell.
He also notes the help of assistant coach, Ashley Curry, for the overall success in managing the field team to where the Lady Tigers are maintaining their titles of second place in SWAC Indoor Championships, the success as the Texas Southern University (TSU) Relays.
When asked about attending other championships, such as the Penn State Championships, Coach Lovell noted that he prefers to focus on the SWAC Championships than the Penn State Championships as both events are hosted at the same time. Coach Lovell realizes this and has decided to keep his athletes rested than wearing them out from concurrent events. Comparing last year’s performance with this year he notes that, “ . . . there is always room for improvement.”
Coach Lovell noted he was actively searching for more members. But, he stresses that those whom he wish to recruit would need to be able to manage both their education and their commitment to the athletics department.
He also praises the team of 62 members for their hard work and notes that student athletes would help him manage the team in their spare time.
The two concerns that Coach Lovell has are the conditions of the track and the space required for the department to work. The state of the track field near Grambling Laboratory High School is in a need of repairs. The track has been in disrepair for years with conditions worsening with several members of the team being injured during training.
Injuries such as calf-splitting, sprain ankles and various bruises from falling can keep an athlete off the track ranging from several days to nearly a month for recovery.
With the coming budget cuts Coach Lovell has even more concern over the future of the track as it is constantly degrading. His other concern is the space needed to store the various awards the track and field team has achieved throughout the years.
Lovell highlighted the amount of trophies scattered around his office without having a proper case to display the accomplishments.
He wishes for more room for the athletics department so as to properly display the hard work of the department.