Alabama Relays To Go Under the Lights
3/20/2012 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
March 20, 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -
The 2012 edition of the Alabama Relays will feature track and field under the lights in Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide christens its new artificial lights at the Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium this weekend. The meet will be the first home meet staged under permanent artificial lighting in Tuscaloosa.
"It's really exciting for our fans to have the opportunity to be in the stands on a Friday or Saturday night to watch track and field at Alabama," UA head coach Dan Waters said. "It's a big step for the sport of track and field in the state of Alabama and for our program."
Action at the Alabama relays begins on Friday at 11 a.m. with field events continuing throughout the afternoon and running events starting on the track at 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, throws and jumps start at noon and then events on the track start at 6 p.m. and continue under the lights until 9:20 p.m. The evening races on Saturday will allow fans to sample various culinary treats at the Taste of Tuscaloosa from 5-7 p.m. adjacent to the Sam Bailey Track before settling into the stands to cheer on the Crimson Tide. Tickets to the Alabama Relays are $10 and available by clicking here.
In addition to allowing the Tide to host home meets at night, the lights will also provide the team with a wealth of other benefits.
"It allows us to do so many more things not only with our competitions, but our training as well," Waters said. "In the late spring and early summer months, we can wait until the sun goes down to start our training and provide our athletes with optimal training conditions out of the heat and sun. This is a huge step forward for our program that will help improve the quality of our home meets and aid our staff in attracting the top athletes in the country."
