Matt Gad – Special to the Southern News
The indoor season is drawing to a close and the championship meets are on the horizon. Yet, senior Jacob Tomczak, like many track athletes at Southern Connecticut, will head straight into preparation for the outdoor track and field season once the 2015-16 indoor campaign draws to a close.
The senior shot putter and javelin thrower out of Danbury, Conn. has had an impressive track record for the Owls.
Last year as a junior, Tomczak made All-Region in the javelin. He finished in third place in the shot put with a 14.40 meter distance.
“Everyone is really hungry to compete,” Tomczak said. “Even the underclassmen are doing really well, making some adjustments, and everyone is just getting ready for the championship meets ahead.”
On Feb. 5 in their most recent meet, the Metropolitan Conference Championships in Staten Island, N.Y., the team placed in third out the 13 teams that competed.
In that meet, Tomczak placed sixth place in the shot put with a distance of 14.62 meters.
“Going forward, we are always expected to score points,” Tomczak said. “And with the freshman, just to do what you can to help out. It’s all about contributing to the team, all throughout the year.”
Freshman teammate, Turner Kelly, said his expectations are pretty high. As he just remains focused on the tasks at hand.
Kelly was a team captain in both track and football at Copiague High School in Amityville, N.Y. In addition, he was also a two-time All-League selection in the shot put.
“All I want to do, is to do my part for the team,” Kelly said. “That is where my focus is at, and I just want to help us win meets.”
Head coach John Wallin noted that the month of February, referred to as “Championship month,” is crucial for the team and coaching staff. He added that he is impressed with all of his athletes, and said that Tomczak has a lot of responsibilities and has always been great about it.
He is stretched pretty thin with five events,” Wallin said on Tomczak. “So far this indoor season he has done very well. And I think he will also do very well at the conference meet and in New Englands as well.”
Wallin also has confidence that Tomczak can reach the National Championships in the upcoming outdoor season. As this season, Wallin noted it has stood to be Tomczak more successful season in the past.
“We want to always do our best as a team,” Wallin said. “We hope Jacob can just do his part and help us out. He is very capable of doing such.”
Wallin also stressed that the team chemistry has always been great, and that there is a “very family-oriented atmosphere among the track team.”
“Jake [Tomczak] fits in great,” said Wallin, “and he is a very hardworking athlete and good-hearted person.”
The Northeast-10 Conference Championship will be held on Feb. 20 in Boston, Mass. The New England Championships will also be held in Massachusetts’ capital city. Which will take place the following weekend on Feb. 26, and run through Feb. 27.
If individuals and relay teams advance, there is also the NCAA Division II National Championships. Which is set to start on March 11 in Pittsburg, Kan.
After that, the season will begin to shift heading into the outdoor season, with the season getting kicked off in early April.
The next time to catch Tomczak and the track and field team perform will be the Valentine’s Invitational on Feb. 12.