USask ready to welcome Canada to track and field championships

The temperature outside might be cold, but the track is ready to heat up Saskatoon as the FFUN U Sports track and field championships get underway Thursday.

The Saskatoon Field House will host hundreds of athletes from across the country as they compete for a national banner.

It won’t be a new feeling for Huskie Athletics, which hosted the Canada West championships a few weeks ago. That event saw the women’s team win a fifth straight conference title. The men were also able to get on the podium at that meet, placing third in team standings.

Huskies head coach Jason Reindl said he’s hoping the women get back on the podium after placing second during last year’s nationals.

“(It’s a) tough field. Guelph, Laval, Western, Toronto; a lot of good schools, so we’re going to be in a battle,” Reindl said.

On the men’s side, Reindl said the Huskies are more focused on the individual aspects of the competition after finishing fourth last year.

“(We’re) hoping for a top-eight finish if the scores go our way. If the scores really go our way, maybe top five,” Reindl said.

“It’s all about depth,” Reindl added, noting that while the Huskies don’t have as many entrants as other competitors on the men’s side, they do have a lot of top performers on the roster.

As Saskatoon is set to welcome the country for the championships, Reindl said he hopes to have a bit of a home-track advantage with his athletes sleeping in their own beds.

“No travel, no hotels. We are hoping to kind of be a little more rested and recovered, compared to our competitors,” the Huskies’ coach said.

“But at the same time, it also comes with a few added distractions. School is on this week; some of the students have midterms and other things going on.”

In some ways, he said the teams are treating the weekend like an away competition and staying focused at the task at hand.

The last time the men’s or women’s team claimed a national championship was in 2005, when both teams accomplished that goal. Reindl was also a part of that team.

At the end of the day, Reindl said, no matter how much they celebrate individual success, the main focus remains on the team heading into every competition.

The FFUN U Sports track and field championships run Thursday through Saturday.