More Sundance

1.  A view down Main Street Park City shows a very busy flow of traffic and event goers to the 25th annual Sundance Film Festival.

2.  Producers and Actors will go to any lengths to have people come watch their productions including walking around in character.

3.  What else can I say about two of our young athletes, Brooke and Carly???

Sundance!

Sundance Film Festival.....one of the most well known and largest festivals of it's kind is underway in Park City. Sundance is a festival that has spawned many great actors and producers. It is hosted by Robert Redford (ask your parents if you've never heard of him). It also serves as an avenue for lesser known actors, producers, and film makers to "make a splash" in the business. The movies are being shown at theaters of all sizes in the Salt Lake Valley and surrounding areas as the festival has grown substantially in it's 25 years of existence. Several of the movies can be viewed for free.

Above is a picture of the movie billboard outside of the theater on Main Street in Park City. What a "happening" place. The street was filled with movie goers, tourists, and locals. The eateries are amazing. Take a look at one of the desserts we shared. The warm chocolate chip cookie base just melts in your mouth!

More pictures and video coming soon!

Utes Open Indoor Track Season

 
We opened the indoor track season with a handful of athletes competing at the BYU indoor meet. Our semester did not begin until this past Monday and I chose to make this meet optional.  We will open with most of our team this upcoming weekend at Utah State.  

I was happy with our athletes who competed at BYU.  Our throwers came in on a mission and set six personal best marks among them.  Senior Chasity Toilolo won the shot put with a new lifetime best mark over 46 feet.  

True freshman, Bree LeRoy competed in her first collegiate multi event and did a nice job.  Based on her training we chose to have her do the first four events only.  The 800m run is completely new to her so we want to be sure that her training will allow her to be as successful as possible. It's a long season!!  

A couple of other upperclassmen also had a good meet.  Senior Haley McAllister-Birkeland was second in the long jump.  She had a great series of jumps in the finals.  Junior Chelsey Kaplar was fourth overall in the 300m dash.  Her time of 41.15 was a lifetime best.  Kaplar also made the finals of the 60m hurdles and ran well.  

Senior Mandi Witherspoon tied her lifetime best in the high jump with a mark of 5-4 1/2.  She was only jumping from a short approach (six steps).  

Above are a couple of pictures from the meet.  Bree LeRoy finishes another event during the pentathlon and Chasity Toilolo prepares for her winning toss in the shot put. 

More Skiing with Coach Kep Video

In these videos you will ride up one of the lifts and then ski back down with me.  See if I can stay upright while shooting video at 9,000 feet.

Skiing with Coach Kep

I have to admit I'm usually not a huge fan of winter.  But then there are days here in Utah like yesterday (Jan. 7th) that make this time of year what it really is to most people who live here...the world's best playground.  The state slogan is "The Greatest Snow on Earth" and once again that was proven yesterday as I went to Park City to ski for the afternoon.  It was a sunny 45 degree day with fresh snow from the previous two days snow fall.  Check out the proceeding videos of just one of the many activities you could be doing when you come to the University of Utah.

Chili Night Pictures

Pictures from XC Chili Night

Chili Night

Thursday night was cross country team chili night.  Upon arriving at Utah I started a tradition of thanking my xc team by inviting them to my home and making chili and cornbread for them. Last year we added a team trivia game for entertainment and it has become a permanent addition to the festivities as well.  

New this year was the location.  One of our assistant athletic directors and our current team adminstrator, Zach Lassiter, offered the home of his relatives who live here in Salt Lake as the host site for our dinner.  This house offered a lot more space and nicer amenities than my condo!!!  It was great to have the whole team be able to sit around one table to eat for the first time at this event.  Everyone had a nice couch or chair to sit on for the game as well.  That was not the case at my condo :)  

The only unfortunate thing about this year's event was that not all of the team members could attend due to night class or illness.  The cross country season being extended by Alyssa Abbott's first appearance at the NCAA championships was obviously a good thing.  However, it pushed this dinner back a couple weeks and put us right up against finals week.  Tonight was the best night for the most people so we had to go with it.  Don't worry...I brought take home bowls for those who couldn't make it.   So everyone got some home made, Grandma's recipe chili.  

Finally....I have to thank my Grandma Knoll for the recipe.  Besides the athletes absolutely loving it,  I took some of the leftovers to the athletic offices today and everyone who had a bowl either had seconds or asked for the recipe.  If you like chili then Utah is your school, ha ha!