OREM — On the surface, the training regimen and practice sessions of Utah Valley State College's track and field teams bear a strong resemblance to similar activities that transpire all over the country at other institutions of higher learning that field athletic programs.
Athletes break up according to the events they're training for: Wiry distance runners log endless laps around the track, sculpted sprinters congregate to absorb the technical nuances being preached to them by their coach while throwers and jumpers ply their craft.
Things, however, aren't always what they seem, and Wolverine track and field practices are no exception. Indeed, the scene described above doesn't occur on the UVSC campus but rather at Mountain View High School.
With no on-campus track facilities, head coach Scott Houle and his team must commute to nearby Mountain View in order to practice.
"When I got here, I thought at first that (the lack of facilities) would be a problem," Houle said. "But a track's a track. Our kids understand that we're in the process of trying to find donors to help us build the track."
Utah Valley athletic director Mike Jacobsen is optimistic that the Wolverines will have their own track facilities in the near future.
"It's been a No. 1 priority for us since the baseball stadium was completed," Jacobsen said. "I think it's very, very important to our progression and our success.
"We've been working with a donor who said he is going to build us a track facility. Honestly, I would think within the next 18 months we'd have something like that complete."
Not everyone, though, share's Jacobsen's optimism. One UVSC track and field athlete, speaking on condition of anonymity, openly expressed skepticism.
"I don't like (having to practice at a high school)," the athlete said. "In fact, I really, really hate it. I'd assume that's how most of the team feels; I know that's how all my friends on the team feel.
"It's a huge deterrent. They've been telling us for a while that they're going to (build) a track, but they don't. They're supposed to have one done by 2008. They say they're going to start next year, but they said the same thing last year about 'starting next year,' so I don't know."
Recruiting for success
Tawny Judkins (sprints, long jump) and Joe Bendoski (distance) are two of the more successful members of Utah Valley's track and field contingent. Both are juniors and Provo High alums, and both became Wolverines essentially by default when recruiting interest from other schools flickered in the wind.
Judkins came to UVSC because it was conveniently close to home and more attractive than the other alternative she had.
"I didn't get recruited very heavily at all," Judkins said. "I basically had to go look for a place to run, and it came down to Southern Utah and UVSC.
"(UVSC) was just a closer option; it was just easier. I didn't want to have to pick up and move, plus (SUU) is kind of remote and I'm from here."
Two years older than Judkins because of his LDS mission to Madagascar, Bendoski initially despised the notion of becoming a Wolverine.
"Originally, I did not want to run at UVSC at all," Bendoski said. "It was like my conviction when I graduated from high school to run somewhere else other than UVSC."
But after a disappointing freshman year running at Ricks College and the subsequent abolition of all intercollegiate athletics as the junior college transformed into BYU-Idaho, Bendoski had no takers when he got home from his mission.
"A friend of mine knew the coaches here, and he talked to them," Bendoski said. "They looked at my high school times and kind of made me a deal based on (those times), even though they had seen me run (poorly) as a freshman at Ricks."
Perhaps part of the reason that Houle has scored such a nice return on investments in local athletes — like Judkins and Bendoski — who few others wanted is that his strong ties to prep track and field in Utah County facilitate his being able to unearth the proverbial diamonds in the rough (Houle coached Orem High for 10-plus seasons). On the other hand, the downside to Houle's local background is that, as a first-time college coach, he faces a steep learning curve in terms of NCAA rules.
"I think a little more time here will allow us to learn a little bit more about the NCAA," Houle said. "The NCAA has so many rules and regulations that learning all of those is a big obstacle. There are things I can and can't do, and I think right now I'm spending so much time learning the rules instead of just going out and coaching."
2006: Athletes to watch
"After getting an on-campus track facility built, my next-biggest obstacle is the youth of our team," Houle said. "I think we're off to a good start, but for us to compete at the national level, we definitely have to get better to compete against Utah teams.
"We're slowly building this thing, and hopefully within the next few years we'll be able to be more competitive."
In addition to Judkins and Bendoski, other UVSC track and field athletes who merit mention include sprinter Chris Fogt; distance runners Mark Lott, Michael Vick and Tim Rowberry; and hammer thrower Gavin Shaw. On the women's side, athletes to watch include sprinters Mariama Salofu and Tiera Zaugg; distance runners Karianne Bentley and Bekah Poppinga; and high jumper Mandi Witherspoon.
Judkins on Judkins
Name: Tawny Judkins
Height: 5-foot-10
Age: 20
Events: 100 and 200 meters, long jump
Prepped at: Provo High (2003)
Family: Second of seven children, with three brothers and three sisters. "My older brother just got home from (an LDS) mission. He works one week on and one week off at an oil rig — hard labor but good money."
Major: Community health. "I love learning about health — it's the only (major) that I'm even remotely interested in."
About sprinting: "I'm sure my height helps. The trick is getting your long strides to be just as fast as (the strides of shorter sprinters), because if you have those long strides and you can get them going really quick then you have a huge advantage."
Favorite movie: "I really like chick flicks. I like fun, nice, happy-go-lucky, everybody-wins-in-the-end movies."
Favorite musical artist: Sarah McLachlan
Pastimes: "I love volleyball, and I love soccer. Soccer's great."
The best part about being Tawny Judkins: "The best part is that I get to change my hair all the time. It's always changing. People are always, 'Wow, look at your hair!' It's fun, something I like doing."
Utah County connections
The following UVSC men's and women's track and field athletes prepped in Utah Valley:
UVSC MEN
Joe Bendoski, Jr., Provo, distance
Kyle Briggs, Jr., Spanish Fork, distance
Spencer Evensen, Fr., Mountain View, distance
Chris Fogt, Jr., American Fork, sprints
Spencer Foster, Fr., Orem, distance
Ryan Gurr, Sr., Pleasant Grove, distance
Peter Holm, Sr., Mountain View, distance
Lane Peters, Jr., Pleasant Grove, middle distance
Tim Rowberry, Fr., Orem, middle distance
Casey Saunders, Fr., Pleasant Grove, sprints
Devin Seale, Sr., Timpanogos, sprints
UVSC WOMEN
Calli Bentley, Fr., Pleasant Grove, middle distance
Addie Hair, Fr., Lone Peak, hurdles
Leesa Henderson, Jr., Mountain View, pole vault
Tawny Judkins, Jr., Provo, sprints/jumps
Marianne King, Soph., American Fork, throws
Melynne King, Soph., Mountain View, heptathlon
Megan Lamoreaux, Soph., Lone Peak, sprints
Lindsay Nance, Fr., Springville
Kim Rowberry, Fr., Timpview, distance
Mandi Witherspoon, Fr., Mountain View, high jump