HIGH PERFORMANCE ATHLETICS, FIRST CLASS ACADEMICS
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO TRACK & FIELD
#goblackgogold
Welcome to UWTF​!
The University of Waterloo Indoor Track and Field program aims to provide a first rate training and racing opportunity for students through the varsity experience. Students selected to either team are able to train, travel, and compete with athletes from universities across Canada and the United States. We believe this type of involvement in varsity sport enriches a students experience at Waterloo. Moreover, graduating athletes find this experience a welcome addition to their resumes which prospective employers regard quite highly.
The University of Waterloo has established itself as a leader in university academics and athletics. The university's commitment to excellence in these areas has greatly assisted young athletes in finding success both on and off the track. Enhanced by an excellent coaching staff, complete competitive schedule, and a Christmas Training Camp in the U.S.A., UW athletes continue to show a high degree of dedication and sacrifice, thereby demonstrating why UW has become a leader in shaping the future of its graduates.
Whether you are an OFSAA medalist or simply a motivated athlete, varsity athletics at Waterloo could be for you. The first class academics of UW coupled with high performance athletics, and the "One Team" family-like comradery of the team, truly is a unique experience unmatched by any other institution. Please browse through this website for comprehensive information on all aspects of our excellent program, and feel free to contact any of our coaches with questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Shane Ferth
Head Coach, University of Waterloo Track & Field
For everything you wanted to know about UWTF view our team brochure.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Team Size
The UW Track and Field Team is quite small compared to many other teams in the CIS. This is something that we pride ourselves on. Being a small team, the coach to athlete ratio is very high so you receive alot of coaching attention. Another benefit to being part of a smaller team, is the team dynamic. We are a very close knit and tight team, everyone knows each other and gets along very well.
Practice Schedule
The team and training regimen is extremely flexible and accommodating so you can succeed at both your academics and athletics. This is very important at a highly academic institute like Waterloo.
A typical training week for the event groups is as follows. Off-day workouts are not listed, some athletes will train within more than one event group, and competitions are typically on Saturday.
Sprints/Hurdles: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Distance: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
LJ/TJ: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Throws: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday (conditioning), Saturday
HJ: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday (conditioning), Saturday
Supplemental Training
The training regime at Waterloo is a complete program. Supplement work is prescribed regularly by the coaching staff as a regular part of the training program. Additional sessions are recommended during the healing process. Here are a few of the sub-programs used to help UW athletes maintain and improve upon their existing levels of fitness if their bodies are not capable of the day's schedule workout. Athletes are expected to supplement regular workouts with supplemental workouts when they are injured provided they have clearance from their therapist to do so.
• Pool running
• Swimming
• Weights/stationary equipment (speed/power or distance weight programs available).
• Off-day dry land workouts (skipping, medicine ball, ab work, etc.
FACILITIES
Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex
The City of Waterloo's Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, 5 minutes from campus, houses an indoor 4 lane (235m on the inside, 250m in the outer lane) track. This is an ideal training facility for our athletes. This is our main training center for our sprinters, mid-long distance, hurdlers and jumpers. Homepage
U Waterloo Physical Activities Complex
The University of Waterloo's athletic complex houses an activity area containing artificial turf and rubber flooring. This gives our sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and throwers ample room to work on all areas of velocity development. The area also houses a throws circle to complete throws practice and competition. Further to that high jumpers have the luxury of fully rubberized runways and take-off apron enabling for an excellent training environment.
The varsity weight room is also located in at UW PAC. Homepage
CO-OP + ATHLETICS
One of the most common questions Waterloo's coaching staff faces from potential student-athletes pertains to the university's renowned co-op program.
There is a common misconception amongst many prospective athletes, both incoming first year students and Waterloo's upper-year students, that participation in the co-op program and high academic standards at Waterloo precludes them from participating in the varsity sports programs. This could not be further from the truth.
The coaching staff at Waterloo is incredibly flexible and understands that school & work commitments must take priority over athletics and conflict between academic/work schedules and varsity athletics scheduling will occur, it is a fact of life. Fortunately, most co-op employers are very understanding towards the athletics programs at Waterloo and often urge their students to continue their participation in athletics. The majority of employers will often go out of their way to help accommodate athletes understanding that athletics competition is a vital part of obtaining a well rounded education.
Another worry common to prospective athletes is the fulfillment of their academic requirements. Understandably, participating in university athletics while attending school full-time is a challenging feat, but it is not an impossible one. In fact, many athletes have found that they have much better grades during their competitive season because practice and competition schedules force them to allocate and utilize their time more efficiently. Many of Waterloo's brightest are also Waterloo's most athletic. Waterloo's Academic All-Canadians are amongst the best in the country in balancing schooling and athletics. Again, most faculty members encourage participation in athletics as part of a well-rounded education and are usually very accommodating with exam and assignment dates. If necessary, the coaching staff is authorized to proctor examinations.
Read about some of our past and present athletes COOP + UWTF experiences below.
UWTF + Co-op Experiences
"Our track team is very flexible and we can make it work regardless of our schedules. So many other athletes are in co-op as well so it's easy to organize make-up practices with those that are also on co-op and can't make normal practice. Even if you get a co-op outside of Waterloo, it's fairly easy to remain an active member of the team by practicing on your own and meeting up with us at the competitions."
Jenny Carrique | Mathematics Co-op, Current Captain, Sprints
"I love to run and when you love to do something so much you make the time for it. I can't imagine myself just stopping. I have the rest of my life to work, but only these 5 short years to run for Waterloo. These memories of running will always be with me and makes all those early mornings worth the effort."
Shauna Ellis | Biological Sciences Honours Co-op, 2002 Graduate, Mid-Distance
" I found COOP and UWTF to compliment each other very well. Being a member of the UWTF team gave me something to talk about in COOP interviews to demonstrate hard work and time management skills. Standing out in interviews is an important part of finding high quality COOP opportunities. I always knew I wanted to use all 5 years of eligibility to compete with UWTF, COOP allowed me to do this easily. With COOP you're able to gain a 4 year degree and graduate with 2 years work experience in 5 years while using all of your eligibility."
Justin Conlon | Combinatorics & Optimization/Computer Science Co-op, 2014 Graduate & UWTF Record Holder, Multi-Events
"It is hard at times - but you get to meet so many people you otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity to!"
Allison Salter | Kinesiology Co-op, 2002 Graduate & All Canadian, Long Sprints
"My favourite co-op job was as an actuarial student for Sun Life Financial in Toronto. Coop affected my training positively. I was able to train using U of T's facilities and met another great bunch of athletes & coaches. I was also able to attend all meets when I was on co-op in winter terms."
Andrew Good | Actuarial Sicence Co-op, 2013 Graduate, High Jump
"Co-op and UWTF also helped me to meet lots of new people and travel to a variety of places. I have met several lifelong friends during my time with UWTF and have tons of new business contacts because of co-op. I have traveled all over Canada competing at various track meets and had the opportunity to work in Silicon Valley, writing code at Facebook's headquarters in Palo Alto, CA."
Oliver Grant | Computer Science Co-op, 2014 Graduate, Sprints & Multi-Events
"I think having to do some training by myself forced me to really push myself, both physically and psychologically. While working at the Ontario Police College, I was able to get extra workouts in during the working day. I actually had 2 of my LTPB's while on co-op at OPC in season."
Cindy Willits | Kinesiology Co-op, 2008 Graduate, Long Sprints
"Training with athletes that are above your ability also helps you to reach limits that previously may have seem impossible to attain."
Pierre Labrecque | Mechanical Engineering Co-op, 2002 Graduate & 4 Time All Canadian, Long Sprints
"The UW Track and Field program was always supportive of me during my COOP term. They emailed me my workouts, and provided me with feedback based on my training sessions and competitions. I was lucky to have facilities close by for all of my coop placements, so training was never a problem. I was picked up and dropped off my the team bus when they were passing the city I was living in for coop and the coaches were always very accommodating and helpful!"
Jenna Bell | Kinesiology Co-op 2008, Multi-Events
"We're students first and athletes second, and I would recommend co-op to any student. It helps you find out what you like, and perhaps more importantly, what you don't like in a job or potential future career path. It can make training a little more challenging, but it helps to learn self-discipline and time management."
Michael Logue | Environment & Business Co-op 2006, Long Distance