College Track and Field is probably just a little different than how you are used to “normal” athletics in the Netherlands. The main difference: you perform not only for yourself, but also for the team and the university! Each team consists of male and female sprinters, long distance runners, hurdlers, throwers (discus and/or javelin), jumpers and all-arounders.
College Track and Field is divided into three seasons: indoor track season (indoor, on a 200-meter track), outdoor track season (outdoor, on a 400-meter track) and cross country (for long-distance runners).
During each season, teams compete against teams from other universities at various track meets (tournaments). At each meet, athletes are judged based on individual and team performance. A distinction is made between men and women.
The goal? To bring in as many points as possible for the team! For example, when a sprinter finishes first in the 200m sprint, not only has he/she gained points individually, but 10 points go to the college team. At the end of a tournament, the points are added up and a college team takes the win. This system ensures that team spirit is very high and the atmosphere at each tournament is super energetic. The American sports mentality!
