TJ talks with a few current University of Oregon Track and Field student-athletes. This is an interview that was originally done for TrackTown USA for the June edition of the socially distanced TrackTown Tuesday. A shorter version was aired on that episode, and this is the longer version of that interview. The athletes TJ talks with are Max Lydum (Senior Thrower), Carmela Cardama Baez (Senior Distance runner) and Lexi Ellis (Sophomore Jumper). They discuss the abrupt ending of their 2020 season, the seniors returning for one more year and the brand new Hayward Field.
TJ explains the new format of this episode (0:06) and then introduces the athletes (2:13). Lexi talks about how the team found out that the Indoor NCAA Track and Field Championships were going to be cancelled due to COVID-19 (3:12) and what the scene was like at the track (4:20). Carmela talks about what kind of hope the team was still holding out that there would be an outdoor season (5:33). Max describes what went through his mind and what the day was like when he found out his senior year had been cancelled (6:24). Carmela talks about what went into her decision coming back for another senior year and not returning home to Spain (8:15). Max also talks about his decision to put life on hold and come back for his 6th year (10:05). TJ asks Lexi what that says about the culture of the team that these seniors are deciding to come back for another year (11:59) and what it means to be part of the first Oregon team to compete in the new Hayward Field (12:58). TJ talks with Max about what it means to hear that Head Coach Robert Johnson will not let the public in to see the stadium until it is revealed to the entire team (14:14). Carmela talks about what it means to know the stadium was designed specifically for the Oregon student-athletes needs (16:07), and Lexi talks about what having all these new team areas in the stadium will do for team chemistry (17:43). Max talks about what it was like for the team to get to sign one of the beams on the stadium (18:37). Lastly, Lexi, Carmela and Max each share what they are most excited about for the new stadium (20:13). TJ wraps up the episode at the end (22:28).