Speaker 1 00:00:11 Hello and welcome to the Roundhouse Podcast with Paul Soro of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. Thanks for your time. Thanks for listening today. Our guests are a Zena and shade aro of the Wichita State Track and field team, the shockers. They open their indoor track and field season on Friday in the annual triangular with Kansas and Kansas State. That will be at Washburn University in Topeka. A Zena is a junior, she is a jumper. Sheera is a sophomore, also a jumper. Uh, both of the ACC choros are from Dodge City and they are both multiple time academic all conference selections. So let's start with Friday and the, uh, format, which is a little bit unique or unusual these days. The triangular, the team standings matter. A lot of times you will spend this spring going to bigger meets where it's more about individuals and team standings aren't either kept or aren't important. Do you like this format? Do you have a preference between the two? Zeina, I'll let you start.
Speaker 2 00:01:07 Um, yeah, I like this format. Um, so we're focusing on like the team scores at the end. Um, I like how like the coaches are pretty like athletes into events to help the team, um, score and yeah, they're focusing on like the team aspect of it, rather as individual, but just still like, we're still competing for ourselves but also competing for the
Speaker 1 00:01:30 Team. Jero, what's your feel on this triangular?
Speaker 3 00:01:33 Um, it's a very competitive scoring. So I believe only top two for each team score. So it gives people, um, the athletes more motivation to not only score, cuz usually it's top eight scores, but for this meet it's top two, um, scores. So it gives them more motivation to not only score, but to place, uh, top two in their, in their team division.
Speaker 1 00:01:55 So Wichita State coaches, they really focus on the conference meets. Those are the big deals around here. So they really work hard on, uh, fostering the team atmosphere in this sport. Yeah. How did they go about doing that shade? What, what do, how the Wichita State coaches work toward that goal?
Speaker 3 00:02:10 So, yeah. Yeah. Um, outdoor spring, um, I believe out of 31 athletes, 27 of the men scored. So not only do the men athletes scored in their, uh, individual events, but they also try out other events to try to score. Like for one example, Michael O'Brien, he was a hammer thrower or a weight thrower, and then he did discus, I believe, and scored in that. And he's not really a discus or whatever, but he was willing to, um, do that event for the team, overall team scores. So the coaches are really good at finding the strengths and weaknesses of each individual athlete and seeing where they can place them, um, in each event.
Speaker 1 00:02:51 So you were talking about last spring the men's team won the outdoor championship. Yeah, big, big deal knocking off Houston, which is mm-hmm. <affirmative>, of course a great, great, great track program. So as Zena, what's your view on the team atmosphere and, and how the coaches really get people in that team spirit for those kind of
Speaker 2 00:03:06 Meets? Yeah, it's like a fun, like conversate meet. It's like what everybody looks forward to and like, plus and like the nationals and all that stuff. But the conference meet is like a team oriented meet. Like everybody just tries to do best and compete for certain spots. Um, we have like different athletes like do multi the multi meet or multi meet, so like they can place and also like, they have fun doing it because, you know, everybody's supporting of each other, every wants to do well. So it's all like a really fun environment to be in.
Speaker 1 00:03:40 So it's the kind of weekend where you might add an extra event, you're already, you know, you've, you've done your regular stuff and you're tired, but you've gotta get out there and run a relay or like you mentioned Michael Bryan adding a, an event that maybe you're not familiar with mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Is it, is it helpful to get pushed outta your comfort zone? Is that good for an athlete? Yeah,
Speaker 2 00:03:56 It's so good. Like it helps with them like physically and mentally mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, cuz you can never know like what you can be good at, like if you don't try it. So I think you just go out there and try it and see like if you, you know, don't do as well then okay. But you like know that like, oh, I can at least like attempt it and like at least did it just, you know, give you a good state, I guess
Speaker 1 00:04:22 <laugh>. Sure. Let's talk about how you got into track and field shaira. How did you land on this sport as your, as your primary focus?
Speaker 3 00:04:28 Um, so like how we did it growing up, like we would do most like basketball, like team oriented sports, um, when we were little and then track it and come in until middle school where um, everyone basically did track, like your friends did track, so you did it too. So it was just something to keep us in shape for like the team oriented sports that we participated in. But then slowly, um, I got more into track because I saw potential on myself to be more than just, uh, like a runner. So I started jumping and I fell in love with it and my sisters did it too. So I just thought it would just, it just feels right to keep continuing doing track and field.
Speaker 1 00:05:11 Right. You have an older sister who, uh, who ran track at, at Washburn? Yeah. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, Zena, how about you? Did you, uh, seriously consider other sports or were you always kind of locked in on track? Yeah,
Speaker 2 00:05:20 I considered volleyball playing, playing volleyball in college. Um, but then I loved track. I just loved how there's so many different events and that you can, like, you can, there's so many different events for so many different people and you can, it's really individualized, but also it's as, it's like a team sport too. And I like how the environment and like everybody is cheering on everyone, like different schools cheer on on each other and it's like the environment and like the atmosphere of everything of track. So that really influenced my decision of doing track in college. So
Speaker 1 00:05:54 Zena, tell us how you ended up here at Wichita State.
Speaker 2 00:05:57 Yeah, so I've been competing, um, track four years. Um, our state track meet in high school was here in Wichita all four years. So coming to the state track meet here in Wichita, like I've always known like Wichita's like the big deal and like it's D one, it's like shockers is everything here. It's like really big and just like how like what the school brings like just both academically and um, athletically. Um, and it just, the team went out when I went on my visit. Like the team was so welcoming and like so eager to know me and this felt like at home and like I lived two and a half hours away too. So that actually helped be close to family too.
Speaker 1 00:06:40 So as you mentioned, the state track and field championships every year it's at Cessna Stadium. Uh, Cessna Stadium's been in the news lately. They're gonna start renovating, rebuilding, tearing down, uh, I guess in early June, late May kind of a four or five year project. Uh, but that's a big deal for Wichita State. Then. You're saying it's helpful to get these high school students on campus and familiar and, and see what this school is all about. That played a part in your decision?
Speaker 2 00:07:03 Yeah, yeah, totally. Um, just beyond just taking track meet, you seen the fans filled up and with people cheering on, cheering you on, even though they're not like from your school, it's just like a really exciting thing to see. And then it's unfortunate they would tear it down, but I think it would be like better for everybody in the end and just like, it brings more people cuz it's could be newer and exciting things thing to see. So I'm excited about it. <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:07:32 So Jira, your older sister comes here, how, what part of your decision was that? Did you wanna go to the same school as her? Were you, uh, ambivalent? How were you kind of going through that part of the decision process?
Speaker 3 00:07:43 Well, in the back of my head, I kind of already knew I wanted to end up in Wichita State because my sophomore year, uh, for a class we took a visit, uh, around campus and throughout the dorms and I just got a good feel of Wichita State and I really enjoyed it. Um, the, the program, the engineering program was really good. I talked to a few professors at that time and honestly it was really easy to get accepted as well. I didn't have to have like a difficult, um, admissions process. So it was quick and easy to fill out my forms, uh, get my transcripts in and it just makes it better that my sister already, uh, went here. So I wasn't coming in as a total newbie. I had someone at least I knew to be there with me and the track program, like for my recruit too. Uh, they, they were very welcoming. So that was also a plus and gave me a, gave me a good, uh, a good future of what I can see, uh, myself being here.
Speaker 1 00:08:45 What was the best advice your older sister gave you about college or college
Speaker 3 00:08:49 Athletics? Um, has to bring, bring up memory foam, um, to the campus beds because they're really uncomfortable. And that would probably be my advice to pass down for anyone who's listening.
Speaker 1 00:08:59 Good advice, sleep is very important. I hear that a lot. Sleep is important. Diet is important. So memory foam. That makes, that makes a lot of sense. So Jira, you're new to the triple jump. Yes. Which seems like a confusing, uh, event. I guess maybe let's track outsiders. Uh, tell us how you go about picking that up and learning to compete in the triple jump.
Speaker 3 00:09:18 Um, I would admit it was very frustrating coming in as just a long jumper and having to learn a whole new event. But I really appreciate my coach and then some of the older athletes for taking time and like working with me because I do enjoy a challenge and a triple jump is very much a challenge, but it's something that if you stick to it, you will see improvement. And I'm glad that I didn't just quit after the first week or two because that was definitely in the back of my head. But sticking with it and then seeing where it has gotten me to, to this day, um, I'm glad that I've, uh, I've had the people around me to motivate me and push me through those practices.
Speaker 1 00:10:02 Perhaps I should have asked you to explain the triple jump for people who maybe aren't super familiar, what exactly
Speaker 3 00:10:07 Is it? Okay, so the triple jump triple means that there's three phases, the Hoff, the bound, and then the landing phase. So I feel like each phase is a different event on its own. So you gotta master one, not master, no one can actually master each phase, but like to do your best of ability, try to understand each phase and then somehow put it all together and then you just end up in the pit somehow. And that's the cheerful job for you,
Speaker 1 00:10:37 <laugh>. And so Ena you were more accomplished at the triple jump, correct? Yes. Yes. What, what's your advice for, how do you, how do you go about learning that event?
Speaker 2 00:10:44 Um, I just think repetitions, it is like talking with the coaches cuz like they know what's best and they know, they know the vet more than you do. So just trusting the coaches watching film, um, do you really technical, um, and just like go at it like don't be scared of anything, like you're gonna make mistakes. That's like part of the learning process. So I just feel like you just keep re like wrapping it out and like just doing one step at a time, like making goals for yourself each day at practice, even if it's small, like I'm just going to, like a small goal could be, I'm just gonna hit the board each time and just, that's what I'm gonna focus on. Just practice and just set small goals for yourself so you can feel accomplished about something.
Speaker 1 00:11:26 So what's the best coaching advice you've received on the, on the jumps?
Speaker 2 00:11:30 Um, I just to attack the attack mode every single time you step on the runway. Um, and just like know that you're gonna hit the mark each time, like, trust your mark, trust the process, and that's my best
Speaker 1 00:11:45 Advice. Yeah. Jera, how about you? Have you gotten a piece of good coaching advice?
Speaker 3 00:11:48 Yeah, um, I usually run like, um, five five even though I'm 5 5 8. So my, but the best advice that I've received is to keep my hips high or keep them level because I have a really hard time doing that. But shout out to my coach for always reminding me to do that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:12:05 So there are times I'm sure where you, where you hit it, everything perfectly. You get your steps down, you hit the board at the right place, you land perfectly, all of that, you roll out of the sand or stand up out of the sand and it just feels great. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, describe that feeling. What that, what's that? Like a Zena,
Speaker 2 00:12:19 It feels like you're in cloud nine. <laugh>. Yeah. Amazing. And like you can tell like once you get off the sand and you just like that relief and you like look back at your mark and be like, okay, that's a good mark. And then that really affects your whole mood and like, it's just like a really amazing thing to fill. So
Speaker 1 00:12:38 Jira, how about you? How do you describe those times?
Speaker 3 00:12:40 Yeah, I would say it's an amazing, uh, feeling. Uh, one of the best feelings an athlete could experience, I'd say. And it's even better, like when you look back at your mark and see is not just, uh, another mark, it's a pr so that adds, um, more emotion to that jump and you just go around like giving people hugs and like you coach really excited. Yeah. This even before you too <laugh>. Yeah, because they, they can probably see the, uh, the measurement before you do. So they're already cheering before you do and you're just like, what, what's going on? But no, it's a, it's a be the best, um, feeling you couldn't, you could have as a jumper.
Speaker 1 00:13:16 Is your mind blank as you're steaming down the runway? Or what are you thinking? Do you know immediately? All right, this part is good, the next part is good. Or are you just kind of I'm not thinking anything until I, till I hit the sand, my
Speaker 2 00:13:29 Mind goes blank. Yeah. And then whenever I go to the coach and she's like, Hey, just think about doing this, I was like, okay, I'll think about it, but I don't think I will, but mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. It just, for me, I, yeah, my black is still flank, but that's what happens.
Speaker 3 00:13:44 Yeah. I think I lose all thoughts and like yeah. Uh, words that have been spoken to me as soon as I run down the, the runway, which is not the, not a bad thing cuz you wanna have a clear mind, but sometimes when you're trying to like say, okay, I gotta fix this. And then as soon as you get on the runway you forget what you have to
Speaker 2 00:14:03 Fix. Yeah. It's like, oh I should, I knew I should have done this. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 00:14:06 <affirmative>. Right. And that would be the point of practice and repetition. Cause you shouldn't be thinking you should be doing. Definitely, yeah. The muscle memory should take over at some point. I definitely, that would, that would be my guess. Okay. You are both, uh, strong students. Uh, Jera how do you manage your time balance, the academics and the athletics? Give us some, some tips.
Speaker 3 00:14:24 Um, I'm a, I don't, I don't like to be, um, not busy so I always have to fill my time. Usually the only thing to fill my time is to do work or practice. So I'm always, I'm always on campus. I think I, everyone always makes fun of me cuz I never go home and I always stay, I probably stay here for nine hours a day, but I don't mind it. I get my work done and then I just start with whatever's in front of me and then, then see what else I have to do left. So it is either I got the most important things to do for school and then just mark it off my mental list even though I need a physical list. But I'm working on trying to get that physical list down.
Speaker 1 00:15:05 Do you have a favorite class you're taking now?
Speaker 3 00:15:08 My favorite class? Um, well the class I'm most excited for is operating systems. Um, cuz my, uh, my degree is a computer science, so that's kind of more into the field of computer science that I'm looking into. So I'm very hopeful that that class will bring a lot of knowledge to me.
Speaker 1 00:15:28 Ka Zena, how about you? How do you stay on on task and organized?
Speaker 2 00:15:33 Uh, I like to like, I'm the opposite. I like to write things down even though I can like think about like what I need to do today. Just like seeing it like physically and like make, making like a check mark off things like already done is like really a great thing to see. So you like go down a list and like, okay, already done this. Check mark, check it off. Um, so like having agenda and like writing it it like every week like once a week, you once a week and like what I need to do each day, that really helps me stay, um, organized and my time management is a lot better cause of that. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:16:04 What's your favorite class?
Speaker 2 00:16:06 So this semester I'm not taking any classes. I have like, internship with the coaches. I'm gonna be working with the coaches. But my favorite class, um, in college has been anatomy and physiology cause about the bones and the muscles and just like how the body works and functions and how it heals itself and like, yeah, just it's like really a great thing to see like how the body works and like the mind stuff
Speaker 1 00:16:30 That leads us right into, into your major. Your physical therapy major. How did you, makes sense. How did you choose that?
Speaker 2 00:16:36 Yeah, I really enjoyed the body and it's how it functions and like when I was like, um, high school, like injuries, just, it's really exciting to see how the body like works itself through injuries and how it repairs itself and how um, others can even help you like gain your mobility back. And it's really like a great thing to see how it all like works together and like how you can like be back in within a couple weeks from like a spring angle and, and it's like helping people um, get back to their active life. So that's what influenced me to pick up my major and then what I wanna do for my career.
Speaker 1 00:17:18 Jera computer science major, how did you land on that?
Speaker 3 00:17:21 Well, I knew one thing, I just didn't wanna go into the medical field and I graduated during the covid year, so 2020 and then we ended my high school, uh, in March. So I had March till August to decide on a major and I didn't know what I wanted to do yet, but during quarantine I was watching this show, this Netflix show called Scandal and one of the characters was, um, a hacker and then I was very intrigued on what he was doing cuz he would hack into confidential files and like gain information that not a lot of people has. Um, the accessibility of it. So I looked into what he was doing and it was under the field of cybersecurity, which is uh, which is a part of the computer science major. So I started doing my own like hacks and I tried to like hack into an iPhone and like different things. So I got really interested and then that like ended up, uh, resulting in me declaring a major in computer science and I've loved this ever since. And like, so cybersecurity is part of like one of many options that I could go into after, um, I graduate. So I'm really, um, excited to see where if or where if, uh, it'll take me.
Speaker 1 00:18:35 Did you have success hacking into the iPhone?
Speaker 3 00:18:38 I did not, but it's only because I jumped head first into trying to hack without understanding the concepts behind it. Cuz it's very complicated to hack into just an iPhone as you can <laugh> as you can tell <laugh>,
Speaker 1 00:18:50 I can imagine Apple will probably be glad to, glad to hear that, that you were not successful. <laugh>. Uh, let's get back to track and field. Uh, hit us with a newcomer or two that maybe impressed you over the fall or in the, uh, in the inner squad, maybe that track fans should pay attention to a name, a Zena who anybody stand out to
Speaker 2 00:19:09 You. Um, well a couple girls on the multis, um, Tess Romance, romance Man. And then, um, Sadie Mil Boulevard. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, yeah, last names. Um, but just like the freshman class in general, we can see like everyday practice are ready to go. They're really, uh, motivated and eager to learn things and like they really helps the whole team like better ourselves, um, because you have these like, um, newcomers like ready to ready to go, so that makes you really motivated as well, so mm-hmm. <affirmative>, it's really a great thing to see.
Speaker 1 00:19:45 So I've got the roster here. Looks like you're talking about Tess Roman. Yes. Freshman from Prairie Village. Yeah. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and then Sadie Miller or Mallard from Omaha? Yes. Okay. Those two. All right. Jira, how about you? Who, who stood out to you?
Speaker 3 00:19:59 I'd have to say Savannah Simmons. Uh, she was a transfer and I think she, this is her last year, but she has really quick fee. I think she's gonna be an amazing sprinter. And then I know she doesn't wanna do no 400, but I think she's gonna have to, uh, dabble in that too. But her, her foot speed is amazing. I'm excited for what, um, this season will bring for her. I think she's a, yeah, she's a transfer from like a Missouri,
Speaker 1 00:20:24 Missouri
Speaker 3 00:20:24 Western
Speaker 1 00:20:25 Missouri. Yeah. Yeah. She was in St. Joseph. Yeah. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah, I talked to Savannah a couple weeks ago. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:20:29 Yeah. She's also from Kansas. I remembering with her the Saint meet and I'm like
Speaker 1 00:20:35 From Newton. Mm-hmm. Went to Newton High School. There you go. All right. There's some names for track and field fans to keep an eye on. Yes. Uh, we talked earlier about the team aspect to get to the conference championship and it's really important to, to, uh, be there for your teammates and you'll see athletes running from event to event and, and watching their teammates, all those kind of things. Uh, who does that on this team? Who's really good at, at pumping people up and paying attention and, and keeping everybody in enthusiastic as, as things are getting tough and people are getting tired?
Speaker 2 00:21:06 I think everyone, yeah. We used to have, um, last year Derell Gordon, um, he used to be our biggest hype man, like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, he would go everywhere and just hype everybody up.
Speaker 1 00:21:16 And he was a thrower, right? Very noticeable. Yeah. If you were at a, if you were at a track meet, you would, you would recognize him?
Speaker 2 00:21:22 Definitely. Yeah. But I think this year, like everybody is so excited for everyone. Um, I love our job squad, like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, they make practice so easy and like so fun and they, we get things done, but at the same time, we also have fun with it because that's the whole point. Like, you're not having fun, what with what whatever you're doing and why are you doing it? So, um, it's really a great thing to see how everybody's, um, supportive of each other, um, different events, supporting different events. So it's a very exciting thing to see.
Speaker 1 00:21:55 Let's wrap up with some recommendations. Uh, Chera, they have a book that you like listeners to, to check out.
Speaker 3 00:22:01 Yeah, I'm currently reading the others' gold and it's a very fun so far. I know it gets, um, dark, uh, later on in the book, but it's a very, um, relatable book. It's about these poor college roommates and it, the book follows their lives together as they learn about each other, and then they have like very, um, emotional like events that happen to them. And it's just a very like, interesting read of how these four strangers became like the best is of friends throughout their college careers. So I'd recommend that
Speaker 1 00:22:34 The others Gold by Elizabeth Ames Yeah. Is described as a joyful bighearted book. Mm-hmm <affirmative> that perfectly evokes the bittersweet experience of falling in love with friendship. Yeah, sounds like a good book club book.
Speaker 3 00:22:46 It really is. Yeah. Right. And I'm not even a big reader, but I've been speeding through that book.
Speaker 1 00:22:51 <laugh>. Okay. Good recommendation. Uh, Zena, how about you? Do you have a book recommendation for us?
Speaker 2 00:22:56 Um, I'm not really a big reader like I am. I was, I was a big reader. I'm not lately, but I'm gonna get back into it. But like any like Harry Potter series, I love Harry Potter. The movies too, like those are really good, uh, books to read. Um, I mean, it's like how many books? Five of them, I don't know,
Speaker 1 00:23:16 But at least two,
Speaker 2 00:23:17 At least five. But, uh, it's a really good book to start with, if not really a big, uh, book reader. Um, I don't know if you know her calling Hoover, um, her books too. Uh, it's really like a easy read, so if you like want to get back into reading, that's a good, uh, author to start with. Uh, I read a couple of her books over the summer, so yeah, I need to get back into reading. So
Speaker 1 00:23:43 <laugh>, Harry Potter, you can't go, go wrong with those. Yeah, it was very, very entertaining. Is Zena, how about a TV show? A movie? What else would you recommend for people?
Speaker 2 00:23:51 Um, TV shows, uh, any like Netflix TV shows are pretty good. Um, I love Grey's Anatomy. Um, it's long. I still have Washington during the 15th season. It's still going on. Um, I think it needs to end, but like there, the whole show, it like talks, it's medical stuff, but also it talks about like, a lot of life's lessons. You can really learn a lot from the show. Um, not just medically, but like life stuff. Um, just stuff you can really learn from. Um, Montreal Hill is the only, the good one. It's like a basketball show, but it's not mainly Backwell. They have, they talk about like college life or high school, uh, family stuff. Um, like a lot of life stuff that you can really learn from.
Speaker 1 00:24:36 Chera. How about you? Do you have a recommendation? Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:24:39 I just got done watching Fleabag. It's on, um, Amazon Prime. I got a, I even got a free, like the 30 day trial just so I can binge watch it and it's very worth, um, the watch. It's very quick and easy to watch it and understand it. And I, I will say it's very vulgar, you know, it has some dark hum humor, so it's not just for anyone to watch, but, um, the, the show like really like, has a unique perspective on how they bring out the characters to the audience. And it's just very, it was just a funny show to watch. I love it.
Speaker 1 00:25:14 Okay, excellent. Good recommendation. Don't watch it with the kids, but a good, a good show to watch. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Very good. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate both your time and have a, uh, safe trip to Topeka and, and enjoy the meet. Thank you.
Speaker 3 00:25:25 Thank you.
Speaker 4 00:25:38 Hi, this is Rick Yuma, president of Wichita State University. Check out the latest episode of the Forward Together podcast. Each episode I sit down with different guests from Chacar Nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita State University. Listen, wherever you get your podcast,
Speaker 5 00:26:07 Great insight as always. Thanks for listening to the Roundhouse podcast. Courtesy of Wichita State University's strategic communications. We encourage you to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can always find more roundhouse
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Speaker 6 00:26:24 They let him pass it up court and then he gets ticked off along. Three by Pango. No good. One second. It's over. It's over. And Wichita State has beaten the number one team in the nation to go to the crazy Wichita. I know you
Speaker 0 00:26:40 Are.
