With indoor competition behind it, track and field has its focus on outdoor meets.

NIU made its outdoor debut this weekend in dramatic fashion, winning the eight-team Cougar Classic, hosted by Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and scoring 214 points.

In past seasons the Huskies have used the Chick Evans Field House to hold their indoor practices during the winter, but with the construction of the Chessick Practice Center they have been able to utilize options the field house did not allow them.

The Chessick Practice Center has allowed the Huskies to get a jump start on practicing outdoor events, such as the discus and javelin, that the field house and weather kept them from doing in past seasons.

“The Chessick has added a great training tool to our jumpers and our throwers,” said head coach Connie Teaberry. “In the past we have not been able to have a place optimally to start practicing the discus, start practicing the javelin, start practicing the long jump in the sand and the high jump, even, for that matter. We just didn’t have a place to do it. The Chessick has kind of eliminated some of those drawbacks.”

One thing the Chessick can’t help with is getting the full effect of practicing outdoors during the week before the weekend comes, but with nice weather that will change.

Switching to outdoors has a few positives that can be good in the long run for everyone.

“The difference between indoors and outdoors is we add a couple of events,” Teaberry said. “Everything gets a little bit longer, but as far as the training and the competition of it, it gets easier on the athletes. The turns aren’t as tight; you got a little bit more space. The tracks are a little bit softer on their legs as far as training… .”

Outdoor season also brings the opportunity for more points in relays, like the 4×100 and 4×800.

“I guess it’s different for everyone,” said Rebecca Cronin, senior middle distance runner. “But for me, outdoor feels shorter because it’s less laps, and indoor can feel a lot longer because it’s the four laps instead of two for the 800, so I’d say I like the outdoor season better. Outdoor is definitely more exciting just because we have more events that everyone is doing for more possible points, and the relays outdoor, I don’t know why, but they just seem more fun.”

The change also gives the opportunity for throwers like junior Sidra Sherrill, who was 1 foot off her personal best in the discus over the weekend, to redeem themselves if one event does not go their way.

“It is nice; outdoor you can score more points,” Sherrill said. “When you add some more events in, it’s definitely helpful for the team. Say I have a bad day at shot put, I can always just go back to discus and pick it up there.

“But yeah, it is always nice to have another event that you do.”