Track & Field Report with legendary head coach Pat Henry in-studio

During Tuesday's edition of TexAgs Radio, Texas A&M track & field head coach Pat Henry joined in-studio to share his thoughts on the Maroon & White's performance in Lubbock, the development of Bryce Foster and more.

Key notes from Pat Henry interview

• Some of our athletes don't like being on a bus for that long, but there are some positives that come out of it as well. We could've flown to Lubbock this weekend, but the bus trip was good for us.
   
• We had a good weekend in Lubbock. Consistency is key to everything we do. Away from the track, what you do away from the facility affects your ability to be consistent in your athletic ability as well. It's not just consistency of skill. It's the consistency of everything.
   
• Let's say you're a female sprinter, and you put on just two or three pounds. You can't do what you do. It affects you immediately, and you're out of business until you are right. That's true for most of our event areas. Of course, throwers are different, and that's a different dynamic for those athletes. Weight is absolutely a factor.
   
• The athletes have to be consistent in their diet. Away from the track is critical for success. That's why we have dieticians here and a nutrition center. It's there for a reason.
   
• We didn't intend to run the milers up in Lubbock, and altitude can affect the runners. When you mention an altitude adjustment, it messes with people's minds and how they do things. You have to know how to deal with it. Coach McCraven had no intention of running Gemma Goddard this weekend, but she was upset with herself and how she ran two weeks before. She challenged herself and did well. It ended up being a good weekend and a great race for her.
   
• Our pole vaulters continue to get a little bit better. The number of competitions allows you to get more and more consistent. Training gets you there, but then you have to transfer those skills to the actual competition.
   
• Bryce Foster did a good job with his first weekend of the shot put. It's a rhythm thing with the shot. It's an explosion, and he can explode. You can't come off the line of scrimmage like he does if he doesn't have the ability to explode. You can see it when he gets in the ring. It's a timing thing right now and coming out of the ring the way we want him to. There are a lot of really strong people out there, but not everyone can throw the shot put.
   
• There are many people out there who play golf who know that if your swing isn't consistent, then you're not going to play well. Thinking about that allows you to swing and hit the ball correctly. It's the consistency of skill, effort and everything you do. I'm sorry to be repeating myself. That's exactly what our sport is about. There are many people who are really good in practice, but the mental preparation of competition might get the best of them. You never get to the level of competition in practice. Your efforts are trying to reach that level, but if you get to a level, you have to change to get better again.
   
• Deborah Acquah is a great athlete. She wasn't feeling really good in the triple jump. She hasn't been down the runway much in the triple jump this year, and this was her first time in the triple jump this year. She hasn't been completely healthy this year. We really only wanted her to jump one time, but she's such a competitor that after she jumped pretty well on her first attempt, we let her jump again.
   
• This should be another good weekend, and it should be another step up. Alabama and Baylor will be among the 15 schools here. This is a good weekend to be competitive in the cycle of events that we have. It's a good competitive weekend. This is a step up. I talk to my team a lot about everything we do being a step up the ladder. You can't skip a step. You have to take each step in order.
   
• If you can breathe out of your nose, it is a good thing to be able to do. Most of us can't do that. I see a lot of people jogging, and I wish they'd find a grass field and be on a soft surface. Everyone buys the best shoe they can find and then run on concrete. That doesn't make much sense to me. I think jogging is great for some people, but a lot of times, I wish people would run a little bit faster for a little bit shorter and take a break. Make it an interval session.