By AlyssaPalfey, GoPSUsports.com Student StaffWriter
UNIVERSITYPARK, Pa. - The Penn Relays have always been known as a carnival to most trackand field athletes. This meet is held at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniaand is the largest and oldest track and field competition in the United States.
This yearmarks the 124th Penn Relays, where more than 15,000 participantsfrom high school, colleges, and track clubs come to compete. For Penn State headcoach, John Gondak, the meet means more to him.
"Personally,I grew up in Philadelphia, so heading home for the weekend is always nice. Ithink the best part about the Penn Relays is it's a carnival. It's a fun meet,there's great crowds, there's great competition," Gondak said. "We just workwith the team to go down there and enjoy the experience and do something thatthey are no often to get the chance to do. If you're competing at the stadiumFriday or Saturday it might be the only chance you have to run in front of30-40,000 people, so it's a pretty exciting atmosphere."
Forfreshman pole vaulter Katie Jones, this meet offers an opportunity to be backsomewhere that she's used to competing. Jones competed at the Penn Relays whenshe was a junior in high school at South Williamsport.
"It willbe nice to be back. Everywhere that I've competed for Penn State has been a newplace for me. Going back to somewhere that's familiar to me will be fun. It'salso always fun to have my parents there watching," Jones said.
WhenJones was last at the Penn Relays competing, she broke her best height. Havingthat moment made her memory of the Penn Relays positive. She says that thecompetition pushed her to compete her best.
"It was alot of fun, I had a big PR that meet. I cleared 13' for the first time, so it'sreally special. The stadium was huge, it was raining that day, so there weren'tas many fans. The competition had all be over 12', so the competition wasreally good," Jones said. "It was big meet, it actually had more competitionthan states for me. It was more than just Pennsylvania competitors, it waspeople from other states."
Alongwith the crowd, other aspects of the meet and stadium make it a greatatmosphere for Jones to compete.
"Justbeing there. You have the different awards that are given and all the actionthat's going on around you. Pole is right along the home stretch, so it'salways so cool being in the middle of all that action and watch everythingthat's going on while you're competing," Jones said.
Althoughit is a bonus to have competed at this large meet before, the transition fromhigh school competition to college is something that athletes have to take intoconsideration. Gondak says how Jones has made this transition smooth so far butwill need to have that continue into the weekend at the Penn Relays.
"Eachperson transitions from high school to college differently. The events are different,the competition is different and you're back to that freshman year of highschool thing again where you're sometimes wide eyed and taking in thecompetition," Gondak said. "Katie has done a phenomenal job of transitioning towearing a Penn State uniform. I am very proud and excited of everything she hasaccomplished so far this year. "
Individualevents at the Penn Relays win a watch if they come in first place. Gondakexplains how last year they had a lot of athletes come close to winning one ofthese famous Penn Relays watches.
"Thefield events will have opportunities to win individual watches, and I think wehave a lot people in position to do that. I think last year we had one winnerand a lot of second and third placers, so hopefully we can add to that winningcolumn this year when we go down there," Gondak said.
Eventhough this meet is more of a carnival to most, Jones is going to use it as apreparation for the Big Ten Championships in two weeks.
"I wantto build and try to improve whether it's height, technique or consistency. Ijust want to continue to improve and get ready for Big Tens," Jones said.
Gondak isconfident that Jones will continue to do just that as she heads into the 124thannual Penn Relays this weekend.
"Sheprobably had her best meet of the year last weekend, so I'm excited for her tocontinue that momentum this weekend at the Penn Relays, a location she's had alot of success at in the past," Gondak said.