by Larry Eder
The Ocean Breeze Athletics Complex is hosting the USATF Indoor champs for the second time. The first time was in 2019, and after that, USATF and NY City Parks & Recreation had some challenges in their on going relationship. Glad to see the USATF Meet back on Staten Island. Actually, it probably should be there semi-permanently. Lots of hotels close to Newark International and New York. Just do not make HQ Hotel in Brooklyn.
A training view from #oceanbreezeathleticcomplex , Friday, February 21, 2025, video by Larry Eder for #runblogrun, #statenisland, pic.twitter.com/TF4gCrM39s
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 21, 2025
I spent five hours observing the athletes and the coaches and watching the officials set up the facility for the upcoming championships.
Here are my six deep thoughts:
- The Ocean Breeze Athletics Complex should be the permanent home for the USATF Indoors. Close to a good airport with cheap flights, close to reasonable hotels, as long as HQ hotel is not in Brooklyn (the route to Ocean Breeze from Brooklyn can take 30 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on traffic. If one stays on Staten Island, 10-15 minutes.
- Nice to catch up with Danny Mackey and the Brooks Beasts. Finally met Henry Wynne, one of my hopefuls to challenge for a title. Henry comes oh so close. Danny brought a strong contingent of Beasts to Ocean Breeze AC to compete. Besides his contingent of Americans, Danny has three Europeans, Josh Kerr, Kyle Langford, and Marta Pen Freitas, plus Valery Tobias, who represents Mexico.
- Always great seeing Tom Nohilly, coach of adidas sponsored Atlanta Track Club and John Trautman, coach of Empire Track Club, who is looking for a sponsor. Tom and John were to of my favorites from the 1990s. Tom’s aunt, a Catholic nun, used to write me when I featured photos of Tom in American Athletics magazine.
- Enjoy watching the cameraderie of the athletes. The pole vaulters are especially close, most of the athletes greet each other, and show genuine respect. I like that. Spending a few hours around the track reminds me of how many life lessons kids can learn by being on a track team.
- Watching Sage Hurta-Klecker and her meticulous warm-up reminded me of how impressive our mortal engines can be. Sage went through perhaps a dozen exercises in her warm-up. I also observed the meticulous nature of the warm-up by Brooks Beasts TC athletes. Our sport is won and lost in getting our bodies to use muscles to their very fullest.
- As I sat and observed, I noticed the Ocean Breeze AC coming together, little by little. By late on Friday evening, the Ocean Breeze AC was nearly ready to welcome many of the finest of America’s athletes and some of the biggest fans of the sport, as well as coaches, offiicals and volunteers in the world’s oldest sport!
