Emilie Mertz Interview
I interviewed Emilie Mertz, she runs cross country and indoor and outdoor track at Ithaca College. This year she is the 800-meter champion in Empire 8. She is a sophomore and her team just finished second in the NCAA Division III indoor track and field Championships this past weekend. (this is the highest team place in Ithaca college history) Two of her teammates won individual national championships. She has had a lot of success being a part of her team and she has also achieved a lot of individual success. In my interview with Mertz I focused on group dynamics. I was curious how an individual sport functions as a team. She said that this season had its ups and down like any other but overall it went well for her personally. Her main goal was to just keep getting better despite an injury that she suffered earlier in the year. She achieved her goal by coming in first place in the 800-meter run when last year she came in fifth. The women’s track and field team did amazing overall. For example, they placed second in the country, had two national champions, and four all-Americans this year. Emilie said that even though they had
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a great year there is always room for improvement. She said that her team could strengthen its unity. She said track and field is difficult because it is an individual and a team sport. She said that her team is often in groups based on their events (distance runners, sprinters, throwers, jumps, etc.) and they don’t mix much. She believes that if they mixed more and got to know each other more then they would support each other more and the tension wouldn’t be there. When I asked about the team’s biggest challenge she said that when they enter the post season they have to go dry and they have to hold each other accountable for their actions. Mertz stated, that many girls don’t like to do this but they do it as a team to make sure they are all in the best possible condition to perform well not only for themselves but for the team. In order to make this challenge easier Mertz said that the captains of their groups often plan events or outings to make it like they aren’t missing out on anything. She says this works for them because they all have a good time just being with each other and not thinking about classes or track for a little while. Her team is great at what they do and when asked what the team’s strengths are she stated quickly that they all have a high work ethic. Everyone on the team, it doesn’t matter what group you are in, they all have a drive or desire to be the best they can be. They also, what to help each other become better athletes. She also stated that the key to their success is their coaching and athletic training staff, who also drives them and helps them stay focused on their goals. I asked her what does she bring to the team that helps them be the best they can be. She said she tries to lead by example in everything that she does on and off the track, she is a underclassmen leader. She is always willing to help teammates out when they were struggling with something or if they ever had any questions. She is also one of the top runners on her team and earned a spot to national by putting in the extra time and effort to become a stronger runner. In the interview I learned that track and field is a bit challenging because not only is it an individual sport but it is also a team sport.
Members often set goals for not only themselves but as whole. They hold each other accountable for actions and push each other to become better, they depend on one another. Everyone has a role on her team and they work well together. They might face challenges but they know they can work together to overcome them. The Ithaca Women’s indoor track and field team has positive group dynamics. The one area of intervention I would choose be to try and get the team to mix and become more familiar with people of other events. Have outings or different forms of team bonding of the entire team. Maybe even break the team up into groups not based on their event have them complete a task and get to know one
another.
a great year there is always room for improvement. She said that her team could strengthen its unity. She said track and field is difficult because it is an individual and a team sport. She said that her team is often in groups based on their events (distance runners, sprinters, throwers, jumps, etc.) and they don’t mix much. She believes that if they mixed more and got to know each other more then they would support each other more and the tension wouldn’t be there. When I asked about the team’s biggest challenge she said that when they enter the post season they have to go dry and they have to hold each other accountable for their actions. Mertz stated, that many girls don’t like to do this but they do it as a team to make sure they are all in the best possible condition to perform well not only for themselves but for the team. In order to make this challenge easier Mertz said that the captains of their groups often plan events or outings to make it like they aren’t missing out on anything. She says this works for them because they all have a good time just being with each other and not thinking about classes or track for a little while. Her team is great at what they do and when asked what the team’s strengths are she stated quickly that they all have a high work ethic. Everyone on the team, it doesn’t matter what group you are in, they all have a drive or desire to be the best they can be. They also, what to help each other become better athletes. She also stated that the key to their success is their coaching and athletic training staff, who also drives them and helps them stay focused on their goals. I asked her what does she bring to the team that helps them be the best they can be. She said she tries to lead by example in everything that she does on and off the track, she is a underclassmen leader. She is always willing to help teammates out when they were struggling with something or if they ever had any questions. She is also one of the top runners on her team and earned a spot to national by putting in the extra time and effort to become a stronger runner. In the interview I learned that track and field is a bit challenging because not only is it an individual sport but it is also a team sport.
Members often set goals for not only themselves but as whole. They hold each other accountable for actions and push each other to become better, they depend on one another. Everyone has a role on her team and they work well together. They might face challenges but they know they can work together to overcome them. The Ithaca Women’s indoor track and field team has positive group dynamics. The one area of intervention I would choose be to try and get the team to mix and become more familiar with people of other events. Have outings or different forms of team bonding of the entire team. Maybe even break the team up into groups not based on their event have them complete a task and get to know one
another.