Yep.

Doesn't look like Rachel Bernardo from A&M Consol is going to work out.

2:16 in the 800M last year, next to last with a 2:30 in the regional meet yesterday, you can't make it out of district with a time like that. Also didn't finish in the top 10 in the 1600M at regional.

Great kid from a really good school, as a freshman she projected to be elite or near elite. Competed well with Kelsey Warren at rival CSHS. Female athletic development at that age can be hit and miss. Who knows, maybe something will change. She'll be fine whatever her future holds, though.

I wonder how big a change it was for to switch from Schroeder to Wilson as the coach. We'll find out next year I guess

texaggierm said:

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I wonder how big a change it was for to switch from Schroeder to Wilson as the coach. We'll find out next year I guess

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Good question, though at first glance I would say it shouldn't have made a lot of difference since I think Rachel ran her 5:03 1600m PR in a victory at the competitive Woodlands meet last year, and her 2:16 800m PR at the district meet last year. 2016 was under Wilson's watch, Schroeder left after the 2015 season. Schroeder teed her up for success as a freshman and sophomore, though.

Don't know what happened this year, something wasn't right, she couldn't break 2:23 in the 800 until the district meet with a 2:21. Didn't come close to her 1600m PR either.

Like I said before, female development can be weird. Look at Tontyana Sanders at Waco Connally in the 400m. Summer after 8th grade she wins the TAAF meet with a mid 54...crazy time for an 8th grader. Freshman year, wins UIL state meet with a mid 54. Sophomore year, can't break 60 seconds. Junior year (2016) wins UIL state meet again with a 56. This year, her senior year, she signs with Baylor in the fall and this spring is nowhere to be found in the UIL track world. It can happen to any athlete, and any school giving out scholarships, I guess.

Illness & injury perhaps? One race does not a runner make. While predicting talent is both art, experience and luck, developing athletes is that and more. I don't argue that it can be difficult to tell with still growing teenagers who will continue to drop times and who will plateau, but I think it is unwise to assess recruits too harshly based on little information.

I get where you're coming from and I have seen that happen, not only in track but in other sports, so I agree completely. e.g. Teona Spivey from Willis...state 400m champ her soph. year, 2nd place jr. year, then last year off the radar. Talked to her coach at a meet, found out she was injured. Or Kelsie Warren slipping on the stairs at CSHS the day before her senior year regional meet. A person not reading the paper on a certain day might wonder why Gus Hancock, defending 5A 800m champion, is nowhere to be found at this year's state meet, due to getting hit in the head with a football the day before the area meet. Generally, if someone is injured, word gets around these circles pretty fast.

My remarks come from 10-15 years of observing high school sports in B/CS and other areas, in many ways I enjoy them more than at the college level. I still keep in touch with my high school coaches.....we discuss athletes both current and past all from all over the state. About 10 years ago they were the first to tell me about the inconsistencies of athletic development among girls, and based on what I've seen I have to say they're more right than not, at least so far. Just my opinion.

The Ags scored big this morning when NY middle distance ace Sammy Watson (numerous state and national records) announced that she is headed to College Station to continue her running career. Chose A&M over Southern Cal, LSU and Arkansas. WHOOP!!!

Quote:

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Chose A&M over Southern Cal, LSU and Arkansas or going pro.

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FIFY

HUGE day for Aggie track & field!!!

See Sammy Watson signing below

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/05/04/sammy-watson-track-and-field-rush-henrietta-to-attend-texas-a-and-m/101261380/

Sammy Watson.

She will have a huge impact on our program for the next four years or for the years that she stays. A huge impact!

Results from the state meet this weekend:
Maddie Vondra-5th, 5A 3200M, 11:20.75
Zephyr Seagraves-7th, 5A 3200M, 9:28.05
Gabe Oladipo-2nd, 6A SP, 65-7& 1st, 6A DT, 204-5
Julia Madubuike 4x1(45.09), 4x2(1:36.15) 5A state records
Harrison Tillman-4th, 5A 1600M, 4:17.87
Virginia Kerley - 2nd, 4A LJ, 19-5.25, 3rd, 4A TJ, 39-4.75, 2nd 4A 100, 11.62, 1st 4A 400 54.38
Kylie Purifoy - 7th 4A 1600 5:20.20

Seagraves ran in the 5A 1600 meters, too. Fourth-- 4:20.65

Sammy Watson ran a PB 2.01.47 in the 800m at Prefontaine meet last night. Jazmine Fray's Texas A&M outdoor record is 2.01.43. Can't wait for them to team up next year. Maybe they could go after the distance medley relay record

Tennessee had their state meet earlier this week and Tyra Gittens dominated it with 5 golds.

Pentathlon 4153 pts -( Hurdles 13.98, LJ 20-6.25, HJ 5-10, SP 39-8, 800M 2:35)
HJ 5-9
LJ 20-1.75
100H 14.20
200M 24.92

Joining the Aggie squad next year includes shot putter Hunter Madore (The Woodlands) who had a seasonal best of 56-3 (Region 2-6A meet).
Also coming to College Station is 3A state champion high hurdler Ryan Hering (McGregor) who captured the gold with a 14.40 performance (39.34 best during the season in the 300 hurdles). Ryan shared in a video interview on Texas Milesplit that he may walk-on to the team, but since he has he enrolled in an "honors" business program he is uncertain as to what he'll do. Best of luck to both!

Krystal Sparling who went to New Mexico Junior College from us this year has now transferred to Alabama. Alabama continues to sign many of the Junior college athletes

http://www.rolltide.com/news/2017/6/1/track-field-cross-country-2017-18-recruiting-class.aspx

I'm guessing that was her intent when transferring from A&M originally. Just needed the JC year in between

Sammy Watson just ran a PB 2.00.78 in the 800m at the Adidas Boost Boston Games. She finished second in the field of pros. I hope she doesn't change her mind and go pro.

1 Charlene Lipsey
United States 1:59.57

2 Samantha Watson
United States 2:00.78

3 Habitam Alemu
Ethiopia 2:00.93

4 Lynsey Sharp
Great Britain 2:01.13

5 Angie Petty
New Zealand 2:01.73

6 Lauren Johnson
United States 2:01.92

7 Natoya Goule
Jamaica 2:02.06

8 LaTavia Thomas
United States 2:05.43

DNF Sparkle McKnight
Trinidad and Tobago

According to the Uil spotlight show schulenberg discus thrower josh brown is AM bound. Threw 191'7 at meet of champions. Any confirmation of this?

Yes, Josh is committed to A&M.

A couple other commits:

Jianni McDole (Smithson Valley/400)
George Cyboran (KIngwood/mile)
Matthew Abrahams (Kingwood/800)

Aggie track signee Kyree Johnson ran a PB in 400m of 46.56 earlier today.
He also had a PB in the long jump of 7.23m last month

Looks like we got more than just a stud discus thrower...

We did get more than a stud discus thrower. He's been trending this direction all year having thrown well at the State Meet and over the summer. I predict his SP will be around 62 or 63 ft. by next spring (16 lb.). But more than that, Gabe is a fine young man who exhibits class and character and so are his parents. I find it uplifting that a young man with his ability is humble enough to give glory to God after an eight foot PR and breaking the event record. He will be a great addition to the team and a great Aggie.