After finishing second in the New England Div. III Championships to Williams for the past three years, the 2006-07 season holds another chance for the men's indoor track team to knock Ephs off their perch.
And with several returning stars and an NCAA Div. III national triple jump champion, the Jumbos will look to get every possible advantage from its jumps team, the strongest element of Tufts men's track and field in recent years.
"We must be prepared to exploit every possible weakness that our opponents may give us," said coach Ethan Barron, the primary jumps coach. "As a coach, it is my responsibility to have a great understanding of every team we go up against. By knowing both our team and our opponents I have the best opportunity to put the best line up forward."
The team certainly has no shortage of star power, led by senior tri-captain Fred Jones. In his sophomore season, Jones exploded onto the scene by taking second place at Nationals in both the long jump and the triple jump. Last year, Jones one-upped that performance by winning the national triple-jump competition. Jones' personal goals for the upcoming season are just as lofty, although with so many factors and a flurry of late-season variables leading up to a national title, it's no easy task.
"My goal is to win another national championship," Jones said. "It'll be very hard to repeat, though."
Jones also expects a great deal from his teammates.
"I look for big seasons from a lot of people," Jones said. "[Junior] Dan Marcy should make another Nationals appearance; he's really coming into his own as a jumper."
Jones also said he hopes to see significant contributions from juniors Jeremy Arak and Jake Fromer this year.
Marcy said he has not yet chosen a specific distance to shoot for in the triple jump but aims to improve on a strong sophomore year in which he finished sixth in the triple jump at the NCAA Div. III Outdoor Championships.
"I was not expecting to get where I did during my sophomore year," Marcy said. "Any improvements that I can make will be a welcome surprise."
The Jumbos also expect to reap benefits from strong performances by the team's freshmen. Barron complimented the "amazing amount of talent in the class of 2010 ... [though they] need to adjust to collegiate track and field."
"[The freshmen] should have a pretty big impact on the team," Jones added. "We have a pretty remarkably balanced team. We're getting more and more balanced every year."
Indeed, Jones' and the team's mission is not only reach personal goals but to finally dethrone Williams.
"This is the last time that I'll be competing on a team. I've been involved with athletics since the second grade," said Jones, who does not plan to continue his track career past college. "It's been an amazing opportunity for me, and while I take pride in my career so far, it's not over yet."
Barron explained that personal success and team success go hand in hand.
"My goals for the jumpers are the same as my goals for every other athlete on the team," Barron said. "That they take a step forward and improve upon their previous year's performances. We always strive to put the goals and expectations of the team ahead of individual goals. Our athletes understand that if you do everything you can to help the team reach its full potential, then every one of your individual expectations will be reached in the process."
