EMILY VAN OOSBREE STAFF WRITER
Some may wonder what makes Wartburg track and field so special. Maybe it is the high level of competition the program seeks, maybe it is the emphasis on family or maybe it is those twins.
There are three sets of identical twins on the women’s track and field team.
Pam and Trish Rodgers are senior throwers for the team, Jennifer and Amanda Kuiken are junior distance runners and Skye and Nevada Morrison, freshman sprinters and jumpers, create a range of twin talent for the team.
Recruiting twins is not always an easy task for head coach Marcus Newsom. He tries not to treat them any differently than other recruits.
“When I was recruiting all of them, I didn’t focus on them as a pair, but as individuals with different needs and different talents,” Newsom said.
Although his goal is to treat them separately, the twins feel it is almost an impossible task.
“Coach Newsom made it clear to us that he was recruiting us individually, but we knew we would end up going together,” Trish said.
All three sets considered going to separate schools, but, like Pam and Trish, ultimately knew it was a package deal.
For the Morrison twins, it was a tough choice because they wanted different things. Skye wanted to stay closer to home, but Nevada loved the track and academic programs at Wartburg.
“I told Skye that I can’t go by myself,” Nevada said. “We’re twins so we have to stick together.”
Not only are the twins teammates, they are also competitors.
“What I like about competing against Jen is that we hold each other accountable. We do almost everything together, and that includes running. When she is feeling good, I have to stay up with her even if I don’t feel good,” Amanda said.
Most of the time they help each other out, but sometimes being in competition with someone so close can wear on a relationship.
“Trish is my biggest competitor and biggest supporter at the same time. She is always there pushing me and telling me to do my best, but I know the next day, she is going to be out there trying to beat me,” Pam said.
The Morrison twins rarely compete with one another because they focus on different events. Skye sticks to long jump, while Nevada focuses on the 400-meter dash. They ran in relays together in high school, taking home a state championship together in the 4x400-meter relay last year.
Jennifer and Amanda have also gotten a chance at Wartburg to compete together in the indoor distance medley, helping the event qualify for nationals for the past two years. Last year they even got to stand beside each other on the awards stand as All-Americans.
“It was such a great experience in itself, but it was so much better getting to share it with Amanda,” Jennifer said.
Newsom said having three sets of twins with so much talent and personality on one team is rare and makes the WTF family special.