Throws. Jumps. Sprints. Distance.
Although most track and field athletes compete in no more than two of those areas, junior Brittany Tyree canvasses all categories at any given meet.
Tyree usually participates in four or five competitions per meet unless she participates in the heptathlon — a single event made up of seven individual ones. Whereas all of her teammates are listed on the roster with their event category, Tyree is labeled “multi.”
In the past year, Tyree has competed in 13 different events in indoor and outdoor seasons: 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 600-meter run, 800-meter run, 60-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, heptathlon, pentathlon, javelin throw, shot put and the 4-by-400-meter relay.
To compete in that many events is daunting, but it is something Tyree does not try to handle all at one time.
“When I am competing in each event I try to focus on one event at a time, so I try to put forth my best effort,” Tyree said. “If things go as planned it’s motivation for the next event, if things don’t go as planned, I try to re-motivate myself to put forth another best effort in the event after that.”
Tyree did not compete in so many events in high school. She competed in the 800- and 1600-meter runs, but at dual meets — typically more casual than weekend invitationals — her coaches would let her participate in field events.
“It has always been an interest of mine, but college definitely provided me the full opportunity,” Tyree said.
She expressed interest to coach Clay Calkins and after talking about with her, the decision to make her multi was made.
“To be a combined athlete you have to want to do that, it’s a lot of work,” Calkins said. “ She has done a great job of juggling and getting all the events in on a weekly basis.”
In addition to her on-track balancing act, Tyree is heavily involved with campus activities.
Tyree excels in the classroom by holding a 3.9 grade-point average and is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society. She also volunteers with the Ohio University Women’s Center and Athens County Child Advocacy Center.
With a lot to manage to in her life, Tyree handles just like she would with busy event schedule.
“I do try to keep busy, I try to be involved as much as a I can, and I always try to manage my time equally for all aspects of my life,” Tyree said.
Being able to manage all of these aspects earned her a nomination for the 2011 Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar Award in the magazine Diverse: Issue in Higher Education.
Rachel Ramsey, the NCAA eligibility and student-athlete success coordinator for Ohio University nominated Tyree for the award.
“Brittany is the overall ideal candidate for many of the academic awards I have been asked to nominate student-athletes for,” Ramsey said.
Tyree said that she was ecstatic and very honored to be nominated by Ramsey. She did not win for the award but was a finalist. She said it was an honor to even be recommended.
Whether on the track or in a classroom, Tyree has to stay balanced.
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