Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Dueling Track Records

Lori and Steve Taylor...
Head Track & Field
and
Cross Country Coaches
at the University of Richmond

Article Link: Richmond Alumni Magazine: "Dueling Track Records" ...

A short story from the Richmond Alumni Magazine on the academic success of the University of Richmond's men's and women's track & field and cross country teams and the importance of academic success to Head Coaches, Steve & Lori Taylor.

The Spiders men's and women's track & field and cross country teams have earned All-Academic team honors (cumulative GPA above 3.0) for eight (8) consecutive years in each sport (Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field and Women's Track & Field).

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Richmond's Track & Field Facilities...A Close Look

Ranked among the top universities in the nation, the University of Richmond has exceptional athletic facilities...

--The Fred Hardy Track at the New Robins Stadium...
--The Locker Rooms...
--St. Christopher's Indoor Track & Field Facility...
--Sports Medicine...
--Strength & Conditioning...
--Heilman Dining Center...
--Pocahontas State Park...
--Pony Pasture Park and other nearby Parks...
--The Weinstein Center and Indoor Natatorium...
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NOTE: Double click on each photo to enlarge...
The Fred Hardy Track within Robins Stadium now ranks as one of the top 5 track & field venues in the nation.
The entrance to E. Claiborne Robins Stadium...

The south end of the Fred Hardy Track...In the background you see the West side of the stadium and the suites...

Another angle view of the stadium entrance...

The West side of the stadium with the suites...

Same view...
View from the Northeast side of the stadium...in the background you see Milhiser Gym and the Robins Center home to our coaches offices and Spiders Basketball.

...A closer view.
Our women's cross country team doing drills on the Fred Hardy Track...

The courtyard next to the stadium and track.

One of the entrance gates...

The top of the East side of the stadium...

Of course!!!

Flat screen TV's above the concessions...

The Daktronics video/scoreboard interfaces with Hytek's track & field meet manager so track & field results can be posted directly to the scoreboard. The scoreboard is 75 feet high and the Spidervision videoboard is 25 feet high and 35 feet wide.

No doubt you are in the Spiders home when you walk into the stadium.

The concessions on the East side of the stadium and the flat screen TV's...

Coaches Lambert and Lawson in the suites overlooking the Fred Hardy Track...

A view from the suites...

Another view from the suites...

THE TRACK & FIELD LOCKER ROOM at Robins Stadium...

The locker rooms have 90 lockers with chairs. The lockers are 36" wide with a shoe box in the bottom.
The bathrooms include multiple personal showers...

The locker room includes 2- 50"flat screen tv's...

Here is the 2nd 50" flat screen TV...

This locker room also has it's own Sports Medicine Room...

...and a meeting room which is home to the sound system that independently controls the built in speakers found in each room...

The Fred Hardy Track was named for the Spiders legendary track & field coach who led the program for 35 years.

Students enter for a home football game in 2010...

Several bricks make-up the entrance way to Robins Stadium and Fred Hardy Track.

The track & field facility is named for legendary, Hall of Fame Coach Fred Hardy.




ST. CHRISTOPHER'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD FACILITY

For a Photo Gallery of the facility we use for indoor track & field practice go HERE.
St. Christopher's School provides us with use of their amazing facility...It's a 200 Meter flat competition track with 8 sprint lanes, 2 long/triple jump runways, high jump, pole vault and throws area. One of the top indoor tracks in the eastern US...it's located lass than a mile from our outdoor track & field facility. Link to Photo Gallery.
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SPORTS MEDICINE DEPARTMENT...

Nine (9) certified athletic trainers serve our student-athletes...They are joined by two team physicians and countless specialists in Richmond to makeup our Sports Medicine Staff.

WEIGHT LIFTING ROOMS within the Robins Center

We have three weight lifting rooms in the Robins Center not including the Weinstein Center...

Coaches Lawson and Molz prepare for our team lift following a workout.
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HEILMAN DINING CENTER on the University of Richmond Campus

The award winning Heilman Dining Center includes a cook-to-order Mongolian Grill, a pasta station, fresh brick-oven pizza, the Spider Grill, comfort foods, a Latin American station, full homemade soup and salad bar, vegetarian and vegan station, desserts, deli and more.

The dining center is an athletes dream...

Fresh fruit available every meal...

Health conscious choices are also available each meal...

A photo of one section of the salad bar...
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POCAHONTAS STATE PARK and it's trails...
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Only 20 minutes from the University of Richmond campus, Pocahontas State Park offers miles and miles of dirt running trails...
Here is a photo Fendley Station Trail within Pocahontas State Park...

Amy Van Alstine (2010 NCAA XC All-Region, 2010 NCAA XC National Qualifier, 2010 NCAA National Championship 5K Qualifier) and Nicol Traynor (2009 NCAA National Championship 5K Qualifier) run Fendley Station Trail at Pocahontas State Park.

Tim Quinn (2010 NCAA XC All-Region), Andrew Benford (12th at the 2009 IAAF World Mountain Running Championships, 2010 NCAA XC All-Region) and Matt Llano (2010 NCAA 10K All-American, 2010 XC All-Region) running trails at Pocahontas State Park.

PONY PASTURE PARK and the James River Trail System
Link to in depth trail links HERE...
Pony Pasture Park is roughly 2 miles from campus and holds several trails perfect for running...
The James River is one of the most scenic rivers in the eastern US. It also has a tremendous history connected to the settlement and formation of our nation... The James River also runs through downtown Richmond. Just off the University of Richmond campus are the joys of rapids perfect for canoeing or kayaking... Multiple species of Ducks, Geese and other wildlife can be viewed all along the James River...
The canoe landing at Pony Pasture Park...
...the landing is a perfect place to soak following a run on the trails.
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THE WEINSTEIN CENTER for Recreation and Wellness

The Weinstein Center is home to our natatorium...Here Coach Lori Taylor supervises participants in our Track & Field Camp while they aqua run...Our camp is held each July...

Our 6 lane pool is home to our Spdiers Swimming Diving teams...We us the natatorium for cross training in the form of aqua running, swimming and multiple drills with our track & field teams.

ROBINS STADIUM DEDICATION (October 22, 2010)

On Friday, October 22 the University of Richmond officially named the new on-campus stadium the "E. Claiborne Robins Stadium"...Here are a few photos from the event...
NASA Astronaut, Leland Melvin (UR '86) talks with Jenn Ennis, Julie Rechel, Amy Van Alstine and Nicol Traynor at the Robins Stadium dedication on October 22, 2010. Leland Melvin was a member of two Space Shuttle Flights: STS-122 (February 7-20, 2008) which was the 24th Shuttle mission to the International Space Station and...STS-129 (November 16-29, 2009) which was the 31st Shuttle mission to the International Space Station. In all his Space travel totaled 9.8 million miles and 374 orbits of Earth!!!
2010 Spiders Cross Country Team Captains at the Robins Stadium Dedication on October 22, 2010...(L-R) Julie Rechel, Andrew Benford, NNicol Traynor, Amy Van Alstine, Tim Quinn, Jenn Ennis, Erin Lunny and Matt Llano.

(L-R) 2010 Spiders Cross Country Team Captains Erin Lunny, Jenn Ennis, Julie Rechel, Amy Van Alstine and Nicol Traynor pause for a photo with Leland Melvin at the Stadium dedication on October 22, 2010.

(L-R) Sprider Track All-American, Matt Llano was one of the guest speakers at the Robins Stadium dedication...He stands with fellow team captains Tim Quinn and Andrew Benford. Centered is University of Richmond Hall-Of-Famer (UR class of '86), Leleand Melvin who...again.... was a member of two Space Shuttle Flights: STS-122 (February 7-20, 2008) which was the 24th Shuttle mission the the International Space Station and...STS-129 (November 16-29, 2009) which was the 31st Shuttle mission to the International Space Station. In all his Space travel totaled 9.8 million miles and 374 orbits of Earth!!!