The Kent State Indoor Track and Field program is back in action this weekend, as the team will host the Kent-State Tune-Up Saturday night.

Second year coach Bill Lawson said the event will act as a final opportunity for the athletes to hone skills and improve times and heights in a competitive atmosphere before the Mid-American Conference championships Feb. 23 and 24 at the University of Akron.

Lawson said he would give many athletes a chance to rest and recuperate, however, and that he would compete with only two-thirds of his squad.

“We will let a lot of the kids rest this weekend and only have a portion of the team compete,” he said. “The men and women that do compete will only compete in one or two events.”

The coaching staff understands the importance of proper training and fitness and has progressively intensified team training and workouts throughout the season in anticipation for the bigger tournament. Lawson said the volume of workouts has increased, which includes increased repetition and intervals during practice.

The team routinely practices three hours a day, six days a week. With all the hard work and long hours of practice, the Flashes hope to achieve one of their goals set at the beginning of the year, which is to win the MAC championship. And for the men, they hope to build off of and learn from last year’s second-place finish in the conference.

“We’ve made tremendous progress, both the men and the women, this season. We are becoming more consistent as we are moving closer to the MAC Championships and nationals,” Lawson said.

Contact track and field reporter Steve Voicik at [email protected].