COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Head Track and Field Coach Pat Henry, seniors Devin Dixon, Jon Bishop and Kelsie Warren, fielded questions Tuesday afternoon, on the upcoming SEC Indoor Championships on Friday, Feb. 28-29 at Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.
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Head Coach Pat Henry on..
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…his goal this weekend:
"Track is one of those sports where it's about individual performances, and at the end of that thing somebody adds up the points. It's like the Olympics where it's about the individual, and then it comes down to who wins the most gold medals. The same is true here. It's about everybody getting on the track, doing their best, and then somebody's going to add up that score at the end. For us, my goal is to see each of our athletes have a good day. It's a time for them to relax, have fun, be serious and reach their potential at this point."
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…hosting the SEC Indoor Championships:
"Anytime you host there's a lot of work involved. It involves a lot of work on our part to put on an SEC Championship, both on the administration and my own coaching staff. From an athlete's standpoint, you get to run in front of Aggies, and that's a good thing. We always have a good crowd. We have a great venue. Anybody who has been to this venue during a championship run knows that it's one of the best venues that we have on this campus. When it gets going and we have 5,000 people in that building, there's been times you couldn't hear yourself. That's a great environment to be in."
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…the positives of being home:
"I think anytime you're running at home it's a positive. It's like everybody is on the team. If your team is engaged, then everybody performs better. The same is true with the team engaging with the people sitting in the stands. Any time you have that opportunity, I think our athletes take advantage of that. It creates an environment that makes it fun to run at home."
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…the intensity of the SEC Championships:
"We try to talk to our athletes like it's another step on the ladder. Everything we've done up to this point is a rehearsal trying to get ready for this meet, but this meet is just one meet. We start outdoor season right after NCAA's which is two weeks after this meet. You have to look at it like it's a continual progression. We're going to do the best that we can do for where we are right now in our conditioning and skill development. This is one step on that way up, but we're going to do everything that we can to be successful on this date."
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…the hometown talent on the team:
"We were extremely pleased to get both of them [Jon Bishop and Kelsie Warren] when they decided to come here. They've both done very well academically and on the track. This year especially, they're constantly improving. It's great to see an in-town person do well. It's funny because the saying is the grass is always greener somewhere else, but these people chose to come to Texas A&M because it's pretty good here."
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Senior Devin Dixon on…
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...competing in front of the home crowd:
"It's the home of the 12th Man, our crowd is always going to be there waiting for us to do great things and succeed."
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...national rankings and running with a chip on the shoulder:
"Whether we're the favorite or underdog, we're still going for the win...We're excited and we're ready to run and ready to show everybody that the rankings are wrong and that we're a team that everybody should fear."
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...performing on the big stage, expectations for the meet:
"Don't change up my routine, just keep the same routine that I've been doing over the past three years. I know to focus on running and competing, then everything else will fall into place."
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...running with a target on his back:
"I love running with a bullseye on my back or even running as an underdog. Either way I love running, I enjoy it, it's my life and I'm always going to give it 100%."
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...having younger athletes look up to you:
"I know that there are kids out there looking up to me as inspiration, and others on this Texas A&M team, so I never want to hold back in any of my races."
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Senior Jon Bishop on…
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...training and competing at home:
"It's a very normal feeling with the day-to-day part, we get breakfast here at the Slocum Nutrition Center and we do our normal shakeout at the indoor facility, it just feels very normal. At the same time we will be at one of the most competitive meets and we have to keep in mind that this normal but know that this is what we've been training for."
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...competing in front of the locals:
"One of the great things is that all of our fans are here, I'm local so my family is here, mom, dad and sister. It's going to be a really special experience and as a senior I'm really appreciative of it. Performing in front of friends and family is one of the things that I cherish the most. As a senior it's something that I'm really going to miss after this year because my family is a foundation that has helped me out so much, for them to get to watch us is pretty emotional thing honestly."
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......keeping emotions in check:
"You keep emotions in check by just having a normal routine. Day-to-day, I'm just doing what we usually do. Wake up at the same time, get breakfast, go to class, study a little bit and talk to my friends. You don't want to overthink it, you want to be prepared but you can't overthink it."
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...not being the conference favorite on the men's side:
"Running with a chip on your shoulder might be the best situation because you're really out there chasing something. We know what the rankings are but at the end of the day it's about the result after meet and it's not about the rankings."
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Senior Kelsie Warren on…
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...being an Aggie and competing this weekend:
"Nothing makes me more proud than the opportunities to put on that Texas A&M uniform. I've grown up an Aggie and as a little girl being able to see those athletes compete at a high level and now to be in my last year competing, it is a surreal moment but exciting. I look forward to the challenges and I know the races will be competitive."
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...advantage or disadvantage of running at home:
"Overall I think it is an advantage. Whenever you consider travel days and the routine of having to wake up early or maybe not getting your runs in at the ideal time because of travel schedule, all of those situations can make being at home a comfortable and relaxed environment."
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…preparing to compete against high level competition:
"At the end of the day we have to stick to our training plan that our coaches have prepared for us, yes there is excitement and pressure but at the same time we're prepared for it."
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Head Coach Pat Henry on..
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…his goal this weekend:
"Track is one of those sports where it's about individual performances, and at the end of that thing somebody adds up the points. It's like the Olympics where it's about the individual, and then it comes down to who wins the most gold medals. The same is true here. It's about everybody getting on the track, doing their best, and then somebody's going to add up that score at the end. For us, my goal is to see each of our athletes have a good day. It's a time for them to relax, have fun, be serious and reach their potential at this point."
Â
…hosting the SEC Indoor Championships:
"Anytime you host there's a lot of work involved. It involves a lot of work on our part to put on an SEC Championship, both on the administration and my own coaching staff. From an athlete's standpoint, you get to run in front of Aggies, and that's a good thing. We always have a good crowd. We have a great venue. Anybody who has been to this venue during a championship run knows that it's one of the best venues that we have on this campus. When it gets going and we have 5,000 people in that building, there's been times you couldn't hear yourself. That's a great environment to be in."
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…the positives of being home:
"I think anytime you're running at home it's a positive. It's like everybody is on the team. If your team is engaged, then everybody performs better. The same is true with the team engaging with the people sitting in the stands. Any time you have that opportunity, I think our athletes take advantage of that. It creates an environment that makes it fun to run at home."
Â
…the intensity of the SEC Championships:
"We try to talk to our athletes like it's another step on the ladder. Everything we've done up to this point is a rehearsal trying to get ready for this meet, but this meet is just one meet. We start outdoor season right after NCAA's which is two weeks after this meet. You have to look at it like it's a continual progression. We're going to do the best that we can do for where we are right now in our conditioning and skill development. This is one step on that way up, but we're going to do everything that we can to be successful on this date."
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…the hometown talent on the team:
"We were extremely pleased to get both of them [Jon Bishop and Kelsie Warren] when they decided to come here. They've both done very well academically and on the track. This year especially, they're constantly improving. It's great to see an in-town person do well. It's funny because the saying is the grass is always greener somewhere else, but these people chose to come to Texas A&M because it's pretty good here."
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Senior Devin Dixon on…
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...competing in front of the home crowd:
"It's the home of the 12th Man, our crowd is always going to be there waiting for us to do great things and succeed."
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...national rankings and running with a chip on the shoulder:
"Whether we're the favorite or underdog, we're still going for the win...We're excited and we're ready to run and ready to show everybody that the rankings are wrong and that we're a team that everybody should fear."
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...performing on the big stage, expectations for the meet:
"Don't change up my routine, just keep the same routine that I've been doing over the past three years. I know to focus on running and competing, then everything else will fall into place."
Â
...running with a target on his back:
"I love running with a bullseye on my back or even running as an underdog. Either way I love running, I enjoy it, it's my life and I'm always going to give it 100%."
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...having younger athletes look up to you:
"I know that there are kids out there looking up to me as inspiration, and others on this Texas A&M team, so I never want to hold back in any of my races."
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Senior Jon Bishop on…
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...training and competing at home:
"It's a very normal feeling with the day-to-day part, we get breakfast here at the Slocum Nutrition Center and we do our normal shakeout at the indoor facility, it just feels very normal. At the same time we will be at one of the most competitive meets and we have to keep in mind that this normal but know that this is what we've been training for."
Â
...competing in front of the locals:
"One of the great things is that all of our fans are here, I'm local so my family is here, mom, dad and sister. It's going to be a really special experience and as a senior I'm really appreciative of it. Performing in front of friends and family is one of the things that I cherish the most. As a senior it's something that I'm really going to miss after this year because my family is a foundation that has helped me out so much, for them to get to watch us is pretty emotional thing honestly."
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......keeping emotions in check:
"You keep emotions in check by just having a normal routine. Day-to-day, I'm just doing what we usually do. Wake up at the same time, get breakfast, go to class, study a little bit and talk to my friends. You don't want to overthink it, you want to be prepared but you can't overthink it."
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...not being the conference favorite on the men's side:
"Running with a chip on your shoulder might be the best situation because you're really out there chasing something. We know what the rankings are but at the end of the day it's about the result after meet and it's not about the rankings."
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Senior Kelsie Warren on…
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...being an Aggie and competing this weekend:
"Nothing makes me more proud than the opportunities to put on that Texas A&M uniform. I've grown up an Aggie and as a little girl being able to see those athletes compete at a high level and now to be in my last year competing, it is a surreal moment but exciting. I look forward to the challenges and I know the races will be competitive."
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...advantage or disadvantage of running at home:
"Overall I think it is an advantage. Whenever you consider travel days and the routine of having to wake up early or maybe not getting your runs in at the ideal time because of travel schedule, all of those situations can make being at home a comfortable and relaxed environment."
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…preparing to compete against high level competition:
"At the end of the day we have to stick to our training plan that our coaches have prepared for us, yes there is excitement and pressure but at the same time we're prepared for it."