Postseason Ponderings

Postseason Ponderings

And...just like that...postseason is upon us.

The athletes have heard 'no pain, no gain' enough to cause brain sprains - have lasted through trials and miles and have heard more than their share regarding races and paces.

"There's a lot of trimming the fat going on now at practices - tightening up if you will," one of the coaches said. "At this point, the difference between a good relay hand-off and a bad one is getting directions to Sectionals or planning your banquet speeches."

Exactly...and don't forget the flowers for the team moms.

Though the weather now appears - at least for now - to be lightening up - there's a lot of technicality tightening going on as far as getting out of the gates for the sprinters, hitting the boards spot-on for the jumpers, release points on the throws, steps for the hurdlers, strategies for the distance runners, when to make your move and when not. And let's not to forget the world of a million things that pole vaulters go through.

A runner gazing at his or her watch at finish lines in some cases will now take a back seat to the almighty placement - some road trips will or won't be made by the distance of a pencil eraser.

It started as it always does in the dead of winter and, and it doesn't end until we throw off our Nikes and put on our graduation robes. Think about it, not many other coaches have to add the cap and gown to their arsenal when they pack for a day among their sport.

Perhaps it can be said that when distributors make athletic bags, they don't make ones big enough for track people - not enough compartments to hold shoes and spikes and warm and cold weather things. Batons and race charts and directions and heat sheets.

Still, it's that time when coaches have to do more than glance at their entries - what once were wide open choices now lead to just two or three. Think water running down a drain - it started flowing far, deep, and wide before thinning into the few that get to make the final plunge.

"Still, it never gets old," another coach said. "I always look forward to sitting at home on postseason eve, calculating these points we're going to need, where we'll need to get them, and praying for a break or two here or there. This is probably the only time of the year where I actually turn into a math guy."

True, there's math, maybe some physics, history comparisons, and perhaps even cussing in foreign languages when the end draws near, but for now there's also this thing called hope. Excitement. Inspiration. Nerves.

All that, and perhaps the presence of most if not all emotions. 

But good luck to all out there - may each race be clean, the starting guns filled with no blanks, smoothly raked sand, happy landings for pole vaulters, no scratches anywhere.

And if you do get to travel on, don't forget to make your hotel reservations, and, if all goes really well, pack your graduation robes to boot.

• Dunn Neugebauer