Outdoor Track and Field

and Compete in the Decathlon at B-W

BEREA, OHIO --  Baldwin-Wallace College freshmen and former North Olmsted High School graduates Steve Price and Kareem Ibrahim don’t look or speak like identical twins but they do play the same position on the football field, run similar events as members of the track team as decathletes and seem to have the same the same approach to being successful as student-athletes.

“Both Steve and Kareem have a lot of athletic talent,” said veteran Yellow Jacket track coach Dr. Bill Taraschke, who has tutored two All-American heptathletes and two All-American decathletes during his time in Berea. “Steve is a bit more accomplished in track than Kareem right now, and we feel that Kareem has made a lot of improvement already this spring.”

On the football field, both Price and Ibrahim spent their freshman season as members of the Yellow Jacket Junior Varsity team playing as wide receivers.

“Both are great kids who work hard and have talent,” said fifth-year Head Football Coach John Snell. “They both played on the junior varsity team, and Steve dressed some varsity games at the end of this season and we are looking for himn to make an impact next fall.”

Price joined the track team in January during the indoor track season and successfully earned Division III All-Ohio honors in the long jump with a third place finish and then earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors as a member of the third place 800-meter relay team. He finished the season as the team’s top long jumper, high jumper and 55-meter runner with marks of 21-feet and 6.75-inches, 5’10”, and 6.70 seconds, respectively.

Heading into the outdoor season Ibrahim joined Price on the track where they both began training for the decathlon. The decathlon consistes of 10 events: the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500-meter run. The decathlon is performed over a two-day period of competition and points are awarded for each individual event withh the decathlete with the most points being crowned as the champion or event winner.  Overall, the decathlon tests all-around track and field talent and ability.

“Both Steve and Kareem are great kids,” said Taraschke, echoing Snell’s observation. “They are both hard-working, dedicated and a joy to work with.”

Early on during the outdoor season Price posted marks of 11.19 in the 100-meter dash, 20.70 in the 110-meter hurdles, 6’1.5” in the high jump, 31’1” in the shot put, 85’4” in the discus and 105’2” in the javelin. Unfortunate, Price injured himself during the 100-meter dash (the first event of the decathlon) at the 2007 ASICS Collegiate Invitation and was unable to complete the event.

“Steve injured himself at ASICS Collegiate Invitational at Liberty (Va.) University and we are being careful now in hopes of having him return in time for the OAC Conference Championship Meet [Friday-Saturday, May 12-13 at B-W],” said Taraschke. “We hope to have him available to compete in the 100-meter dash, long jump and as a member of the 400-meter relay team. He has the ability to be a factor at the conference meet.”

At theASICS Meet, Ibrahim competed in but did not complete the decathlon.  He scored a total of 3,971 points and posted individual event marks of 12.03 in the 100-meter dash, 19'0” in the long jump, 24' 0.25" in the shot put, 5' 4.25" in the high jump, 57.41 seconds in the 400-meter dash, 21.64 in the 110-meter hurdles, 58' 3" in the discus, 8'0” in the pole vault, 104' 7" in the javelin and 5:20.36 in the 1500-meter run. Since that time Kareem has improve his discus mark to 73’7” and also competed in the 400-meter hurldes, running a time of 1:05.37, and the triple jump, earning a mark of 37’5.25”.

“Kareem continues to get better every day,” said Taraschke.  “He comes to practice every day with a great attitude. He came here as a hurdler and each day is a learning experience.  I have just been impressed with his work ethic.”

Snell also has been impressed with the work ethic of the former N.O.H.S. duo.

“Both Steve and Kareem continued with track practice and still came to our spring football practices,” said Snell.  “Because they are spring sport student-athletes, they were not asked or required to attend spring practice but they both showed the initative, desire and self-motivation to do so.  That tells me a great deal about each young man.

        “When we recruit young men to come to Baldwin-Wallace College, we do so with the idea that they will be good students and good athletes, that they will work hard and compete to the best of their ability and that they will challenge themselves and their teammates to be the best that they can become,” said Snell.  “In Steve and Kareem, we have two young men who exemplify those traits.”

Ibrahim will next compete this Saturday, April 14 when the Yellow Jacket track team travels to Delaware, Ohio to compete at the 2007 All-Ohio Division III Outdoor Championship Meet at Ohio Wesleyan University. Next weekend, B-W travels to the Wilmington College Invitational Meet on Saturday, April 21.

Price continues to rehab his injury and hopes to be back and ready to compete when B-W hosts the 2007 OAC Championship Meet at The George Finnie Stadium.

The long-term goal for both will be qualifying for the NCAA Division III National Track and Field Championship Meet and catching passes for an OAC Championship and NCAA-qualifying football team.