Lehigh University Athletics
Evans carries gridiron success over to track
3/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
He can run a crisp pattern over the middle, snare a pass out of the air and take it 72-yards for a score, as he did last season against Georgetown. Or he can line up in the starting blocks and blow his competition away in the 60-meter dash in a school-record time of 6.86, which he has also done. He’s been known to label himself “The Sensation” and is the only person on the entire track team to give himself a nickname. One of his coaches describes him as “a hard worker in disguise,” due to his joking personality and not-so-serious demeanor. But make no mistake about it, senior George Evans is all business once he steps between the lines.
Evans participates in both track and football at Lehigh, while also juggling the rigorous academic demands of one of the toughest universities in the country. The Youngstown, Ohio native is a history major and plans to get into teaching and coaching once his running and playing days are over. “I would like to coach college athletics once school is over,” Evans explains, “Whether it be football or track, I feel as if I have a lot of knowledge of both sports and I would like to continue to be involved,” Evans explains.
Head football coach Pete Lembo agrees with Evans in that he’ll be able to handle any assignment thrown his way after life at Lehigh. “George's sincerity and genuine interest in others will enable him to relate well with student-athletes in the role of a coach and educator. He also has a great appreciation for the commitment that is necessary for success at the Division I level as he excelled in two sports and maintained solid grades while at Lehigh.”
Evans has not always been the two-sport star that he is now, and says that he just wanted to try and get in shape for football. “I wasn’t always a multi-sports guy. I first started to run track my senior year in high school after playing football for four years in hopes of preparing me for football in college.”
Head track and field coach Matt Utesch is more than happy that Evans decided to come out for track at Lehigh. “George is what I like to call a ‘hard worker in disguise’ in that he whines and complains when he has to train, but then he turns around and busts his tail as hard as anyone on the team and really gets after it.”
Evans has developed into a great leader on the track team this season as well, although as Utesch describes, he’s not your typical kind of leader. “George doesn’t really lead through words or boisterous remarks like some guys. Actually George takes the opposite approach, in that he’ll be a little sarcastic and dramatic, maybe even complain a little bit. When the other members of the team see that, they know it’s time to step it up and get serious.” Utesch adds, “When George is complaining, you shouldn’t be, and the team knows this. He has really made a nice jump into the leadership role this season.”
Utesch continues, “George is the personality on our team, he’s the character, always joking around. But at the same time, he’s an extremely confident young man, which is very important for a sprinter. When the chips are down, I want the baton in George’s hands, and I can’t say that about too many guys.” Utesch adds, “He has been able to establish two school records in his time here, in both the 60 and 200-meter dashes. The times he posted in those two events are extremely impressive. He is also the anchor of our 4x100 relay team, so this young man has a lot of credentials to his credit.”
Junior Lavar Pope, a fellow member of the 4x100 relay team has gotten to know Evans over the years and says that the humor he brings to the team adds life to practice and the meets. “George has a one of a kind personality, always looking to add some fun to our practices and meets. The Lehigh sprinters, including George, have come up with nicknames for all kinds of stuff, like teammates, track events and opponents. But George is definitely the ringleader, always coming up with something. Some of his patented nicknames include: ‘The Deuce Shot’ (200-meters) and ‘4-Banger’ (400-meter).”
What does Evans have to say about being labeled the team jokester? “I am not really a character, but practice can be boring if you don’t make it fun.” Evans continues, “ In terms of leadership, I guess I am not much of a talker, but I hate to lose, so I just try and go out and set a positive example and hopefully people can learn from what the older guys have mapped out. We have a strong senior class that the younger guys can learn a lot from.”
Evans must train year round to stay in prime shape for his two sports, but he seems to enjoy it and also likes how it keeps him busy and regimented. “Playing two sports combined with Lehigh’s work load has gotten to be pretty difficult at times, especially in the spring (with football). It taught me how to prepare for classes and exams in advance and also about time management.” Evans continues, “In terms of training, I always try to maintain a healthy level all year round, but it was necessary to gain weight for football. However, once football is over, I have to drop ten to fifteen pounds and that makes me run a little easier.”
Utesch describes the track training regimen and what he and his assistants are trying to get out of George. “Lately, we’ve really been working on his technique, to maintain it when he’s tired, to be able to stabilize his speed for the duration of the race. He doesn’t have spring football this season so he has a little more energy and a little more focus, which is good.” Utesch continues, “Our training program will slim him down from his football weight, because they are two totally different types of programs. In football, he wants to be big, have a lot of mass. But we work with him on explosiveness and endurance, so he just naturally loses some of that mass.”
Although Evans has gained a reputation for having fun, no one ever disputes or questions his work ethic and focus once he steps on the track. Pope explains: “Once the gun goes off, all jokes are aside and George gets after it. He is a top-notch competitor in every meet he sprints. He makes sprinting at an elite level seem effortless. When the younger guys on the team, like myself, see him winning and achieving so many great things, it makes us work harder.” Pope concludes, “He’s an anchor on one of the best 4x100 relay teams in the conference and possibly the region, and he’s already qualified for the IC4A Championships, so we’re going to miss him next year when he’s not around.”
Senior Aaron Lynn agrees with Pope that Evans has the ability to be calm and cool before the race, but can turn around and take it to another level once the action begins. “George is really laid back and such an easy going person. He’ll joke around, but he’s always extremely focused for the races. He seems calm and relaxed right up to the start of a race, but once that gun goes off, there’s no doubt that he’s intense.”
