McLarty a leader from the sidelines

Brian Foster Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior cross country runner Jeff McLarty does high knee warm-ups at Randolph Golf Course earlier this season. McLarty, who began the season with 20th and sixth place finishes in his first two meets, twisted his ankle and has not competed since.

High expectations accompanied McLarty's senior year at the University of Arizona. A solid No. 2 runner for the Wildcat squad last year, McLarty looked to lead a strong pack of Wildcat runners to this year's NCAA Championships.

In the past McLarty demonstrated his talent, finishing sixth in the Jammin Invitational, second in the Aztec Invitational and 18th in the Pacific 10 Conference Championships.

This year, McLarty's season began with impressive showings at the Irvine Invitational, where he placed 20th, and at the Aztec Invitational where he placed sixth. Shortly after the Aztec Invitational, and much to the detriment of the UA men's squad, McLarty sustained an ankle injury in practice and remained absent from competition for the duration of the season.

"It was in practice when I was running through a park," he said. "I just stepped in this hole wrong and twisted my ankle."

The medical diagnosis was a severely twisted ankle with recommendations of immobilization to allow proper healing.

Weeks passed as McLarty tried desperately to rehabilitate his ankle, but during those weeks the UA team continued their regiment of training, and McLarty's level of fitness fell significantly behind his teammates'.

"The team was so far ahead of me in their running," he said. "I just couldn't have kept up."

The possibility of a taking a redshirt and competing in the 1999 cross country season was the only chance at redemption for McLarty, but NCAA rules stipulated that he had run his last cross country race.

To be eligible for a medical redshirt, McLarty needed not to have run in more than 20 percent of scheduled races, as well as be able to provide documentation that the injury kept him from running for the rest of the year. To his dismay, McLarty had already run the 20 percent margin of race competitions, and had recovered from his injury and begun training before the end of the season, nullifying the possibility of a redshirt.

Despite the frustration of his ankle injury and any hopes of competing at the NCAA Championships gone, McLarty remained optimistic and motivated, attending every practice and providing support and guidance for team members.

"I was there for everything as far as all the practices," he said. "I just did what I could."

McLarty's teammates still regard him as their team captain, and remark that his impact on the team and leadership from the sidelines cannot be underestimated.

"Jeff's been great," sophomore David Lopez said. "He hasn't been able to race all that much, but he shows he's a senior at practice and all the underclassmen look up to him."

Junior Jeremy Lyon shared similar sentiments with Lopez.

"He's been the leader of the team throughout the season, even though he hasn't competed in all the meets," Lyon said. "He's been there mentally for the team as well."

Head coach Dave Murray added that McLarty has fulfilled his role as a senior on the team by retaining a positive attitude and lending guidance even without competing.

"We looked to Jeff for leadership and even though he couldn't compete he provided it," Murray said.

Track and field season will bring about an opportunity for McLarty to end his senior year with his teammates at the NCAA Championships. The Silver State Games in Reno at the end of next month will mark the beginning of the track and field season and McLarty's return to competition.

Cross country teammate Micheil Jones, who spent the summer in the California mountains training with McLarty as well as Lyon, said he is looking for McLarty to bounce back during the track and field season.

"He's an extremely dedicated type of athlete," Jones said. "He's a talented runner and will be back for sure for the track season."

McLarty shared in the anticipation for the upcoming track season.

"I just want to get out there and race so much," McLarty said. "I haven't raced since September and I'm looking forward to track season."

Brian Wahlund can be reached via e-mail at Brian.Wahlund@wildcat.arizona.edu.