Phariss leads young team

Veteran leadership is a quality that does not appear in any boxscore, but without it no team can function. On a squad that features three freshmen and sophomores in its top five, IU needs a veteran presence to bring all of its parts together. Despite their youth, the No. 23 ranked Hoosiers are mature and are making progress toward Nationals, including a convincing victory at Friday's Indiana Intercollegiates. \nJunior Bart Phariss provides the team with a central veteran presence, said coach Robert Chapman.\n"We shy away from having captains or any overt designation of leaders," Chapman said. "But Bart certainly is someone that many of the guys on the team look to for leadership." Phariss has been a consistent force in the Hoosiers' first two victories, finishing 3rd overall in both races. Though younger teammates have had better finishes, they acknowledge that Phariss's experience gives him a valuable point of view.\n"He trains smart and has had success," sophomore Thomas Burns said. "So it would be foolish not to mimic Bart's actions on and off the course." \nAfter redshirting his freshman year, Phariss has made steady improvements in his times. Phariss improved his 10K time by approximately 1 minute, 20 seconds and his 8K time by about 20 seconds between his freshman and sophomore years. In addition to cross country, Phariss runs track, along with many of his cross country teammates.\nAlthough the team doesn't officially assign captains, Phariss has found himself in a leadership role.\n"I feel like I am the hub of this team," Phariss said. "My teammates revolve around me." \nThough Chapman's recruiting and guidance has created a competitive Hoosier roster, Phariss said that sometimes the team takes encouragement better from an older teammate.\nAs a sophomore, Phariss finished among the top three Hoosiers in all five cross country races. In addition to his cross country career, last spring Phariss finished eighth in the 10,000 meters at the Big Ten Outdoor Track Championships and second in the 10K Drake Relays. In 2000, Phariss was sixth on the team at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the last year in which IU made Nationals as a whole.\nThough an appearance as a team at Nationals and an All-American designation are definitely goals, Phariss's vision is not on the long-term picture. \n"The season is long and so much can happen between now and Nov. 25, (so) I am setting my sights for Oct. 5 at Indiana State," Phariss said. " Our next meet is what's important right now."\nAlthough he rarely strays away from team goals, Phariss said he does have one personal agenda.\n"It's almost as if Nov. 25 (the day of NCAAs) is Christmas Day," Phariss said. "I get the gift of being able to beat down all my enemies from other universities who are trying to run faster than me." \nWith Phariss as the hub, the Hoosiers hope to continue their precipitous roll as a unit toward bigger and better conquests.