Coping & Connecting: Track & Field/Cross Country

Note: First in a series highlighting Central Michigan Athletics' efforts to cope with changes necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Finding the positive, staying connected, and staying engaged.

Those are the goals for third-year Central Michigan director of track & field/cross country Jenny Swieton as she leads her student-athletes and coaching staff through the unprecedented shutdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

"The first couple of weeks it's been everybody wrapping their head around what's happened," Swieton said, adding that she has slowly shifted the focus to "how are we going to make the best use of this time? What are our goals? How are we going to stay motivated?

"I know they've had a lot on their plates the last couple weeks just figuring that out."

Swieton said she and her staff have communicated with their student-athletes through social media apps, phone calls, e-mail and texts. Among the engagements are skill challenges, such as juggling, and simply fun things to do, like a scavenger hunt.

Multi-event/high jump coach Tatijana Jacobson has started a book club for the student-athletes she coaches, Swieton said.

The purpose is to provide some levity, keep up the morale, and provide her student-athletes a constructive outlet, Swieton said, adding that it is critical to bear in mind that student-athletes are adjusting to online classes.

While those fun activities are targeted at all the team members, the track & field/cross country program is unique among collegiate sports for its roster size – at CMU, it numbers about 80 combined with the men's and women's programs – and its diversity with distance runners, sprinters, throwers, jumpers and vaulters.

While most in the program are acquainted with everybody else on the roster, it is their peer group — those with whom they train — that they tend to be closest to. Keeping those bonds is important, Swieton said.

"With your event group, you see them every day and they're not used to being away from each other this much," she said. "Even though they're not running together or jumping together or throwing or whatever, it keeps them together."

Swieton said she and her coaching staff have made a concerted effort to include anyone and everyone associated with the program, from incoming signees and recruits to alums.

"One of the big motivations for me is for the seniors who are graduating," she said. "I want them to be able to still have a team and have that connection. We want to keep them involved so it isn't an abrupt separation. Our seniors are really important to us, so I think it's a good way to keep them connected and involved … on a friendship level."

Team members are also connected with athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches who provide "exercises they can do at home with no equipment," Swieton said, adding that maintaining strength and mobility are critical.

"It's up to the student-athletes what they're going to do or not going to do," she said. "They're all pretty motivated to keep some normalcy. If we can't compete right now, let's work on our weaknesses so when we can compete, we're firing on all cylinders."

Swieton said there may be an introspective silver lining in all of this.

"One of the tasks that I recommend is to write a letter to themselves," she said. "What do you miss about school and the team and practice? What do you have a new appreciation for and what have you learned about yourself in this process? You self-evaluate and figure out what you're grateful for. I think perspective is huge.

"Maybe next year at this time and we're in the travel grind and they'll be like, 'I'm tired but man I'm lucky to be able to do this right now.'"

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