By MAYAN PAZ
Tiger Media Network
In track and field, there is a thought that outdoor track is when the real season begins. This doesn’t diminish the impact of the indoor season, but since many events can’t take place indoors, it’s often seen as the preparatory phase for outdoor events.
Whether this sentiment is true or not, many athletes on the Fort Hays State University track and field team are excited to make the transition to the outdoor season.
Many of the throwing events as well as the 400-meter hurdles and 3,000-meter steeplechase rase are now back in the competition schedule. The Tigers have a number of athletes who specialize in those events ready for the outdoor season to begin, including senior Reba Mader, who was the 2025 MIAA runner-up in the 400 hurdles and the 2026 MIAA indoor champion in the 60-yard sprint, and sophomore Emma Slade, who represented the Tigers in the discus throw at the 2025 outdoor national championships last season.
This weekend, the Tigers will travel to Kearney, Neb., with everyone except the long-distance runners. The meet, originally scheduled on Saturday, was moved to Sunday due to the weather. Sprints and hurdles coach Kelly Meyer spoke about the excitement surrounding the transition to the outdoor season.
“So far, from what I’ve seen in practice, I’m really happy with the progression we’ve made,” she said. “I feel like our confidence is much better. It kind of feels like a fresh start. Indoor feels like a long time ago. But I’m really excited for a good opportunity with good weather and a fast track on Sunday.”
One of the benefits of opening the season at that meet at Kearney is that it is relatively a small meet, which allows the athletes to be more relaxed, and also allows the team to bring more athletes than usual, and perhaps give more individuals a chance to perform and gain their spot in more competitive meets in the future.
Meyer also spoke about her appreciation for the opportunity to have more athletes compete this weekend.
“Another thing I’m excited about is for everyone to have a chance. And not only have a chance, but the weather plays such a big role that they’re going to have a good opportunity to show where they’re at, and hopefully get marks that will help them go to other meets, bigger meets this season,” she said.
With the transition to outdoor season also comes a bizarre incident that will affect the FHSU pole vaulters. After competing at the indoor national championships at Virginia Beach three weeks ago, the poles that were used by the athletes were shipped on a truck back to Hays, but an error from the shipping company caused the poles to get stuck in Pennsylvania, and the vaulters will miss most of their poles this opening weekend.
Annabeth Baalmann, school record holder in the pole vault, said this makes the upcoming competition more challenging, but she is still confident that she can perform with the poles she has.
“I still believe that I can hit a national qualifier mark this weekend,” she said. “I will have to make some adjustments, but I will try to clear at least a 4-meter bar to qualify for nationals, and then worry about performing better when my poles get back to Hays.”
Competition begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday in Kearney.