On Sept. 6, the University of Indianapolis Women’s Triathlon team hosted its second Greyhound Splash & Dash.
Women’s Triathlon Head Coach, Doug Robinson, decided to start this event initially because it eases the freshmen into the season as opposed to having their first event at a different school. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to bring the community along in hopes they will learn more about what a triathlon is.
“Triathlon racing can be very lonely because usually it’s out in a state park in the middle of nowhere, and there just aren’t a lot of fans around,” Robinson said. “So I’ve been very intentional about trying to expose what our team does here on campus”
Robinson explained that there are several girls on the team who have come from a swimming and/or running background, but the biking aspect is new for them. His hope is for the less experienced girls to grow this season while the veterans continue increasing their skills.
The team plans on keeping the Greyhound Splash & Dash event in the fall because it provides an opportunity for a home event, and all UIndy athletics are required to have a Back the Pack day, a promotional day for specific sports, per UIndy Athletics. It helps to hold this event annually not only to keep the community involved in what the Women’s Triathlon team does, but also so seniors are recognized at their home site.
“Not only is Back the Pack day important, but some of the teams that come out to race don’t have a home event,” said Robinson. “It shows the other teams that come out that we have a really good community and that everyone cares about each sport here.”
According to Robinson, getting support from the community, students and staff makes for an exciting event. UIndy is proud to be one of 40 colleges in the country that offer this sport, and allowing the community to learn about it and understand it is a big part of this event, Robinson explained.
The Greyhounds next race is the Prairie State Cup on Oct. 3rd in Clinton, IL. The triathlon team will wrap up their season with the National Championships in Tempe, AZ on Nov. 8.
