There's no place like home - not for Dorothy or UF's track and field teams.
The Gators will attempt to follow a good road performance in Kentucky with an even better outing for the home crowd in the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational this Saturday. The event gets underway at 11 a.m. in the O'Connell Center.
For the fourth-ranked men's team and the No. 13 women's team, this is the sole indoor home meet this season. It is their opportunity to perform in front of a predominantly orange-and-blue crowd and receive all the support that comes with it.
Coach Mike Holloway wants to ensure that his team makes the best of this opportunity.
"We have talked to the kids about putting our best foot forward and putting on a good show for the people that come here for the meet this weekend," Holloway said.
He said there was no added pressure for the team, but competing at home will be an advantage for the athletes.
"Any time you can sleep in your own bed, eat your regular foods and hang out with your friends before the competition, it's gonna help," Holloway said.
The group that may benefit the most from the home crowd is UF's women sprinters, four of whom are freshmen.
Alishea Usery and Madison McNary led the young sprint corps in Kentucky. Usery claimed fourth place in the 400-meter dash, while McNary was seventh in the 200-meter dash and eighth in the 60-meter dash.
McNary looks forward to performing in front of familiar faces as she tries to better her Kentucky results.
"It should be really fun because you put on a show for people you go to school with," McNary said. "I'm just gonna go out there and execute."
On the men's side, Terrell Wilks also looks to benefit from familiar territory. In Kentucky, Wilks was ninth and 12th in the 200- and the 60-meters, respectively.
"Being home should give me more fuel," Wilks said. "I can do better (than in Kentucky). I'm excited because I didn't get to run at the home indoor last year, and home meets are always fun because our friends get to come watch us."
UF will focus on taking advantage of competing at home this weekend, but also will honor the man after whom the invitational was named.
Tom Jones was a former women's track and field head coach who passed away in 2007. Jones spent 15 seasons with UF and led his team to six Southeastern Conference titles.
"He was a friend and a mentor to a lot of people, myself included," Holloway said.
Even players who were never coached by Jones understand what he meant to the people who knew him and to UF.
"I didn't meet him, but from what people say about him, he's a really good guy," Wilks said. "I have to do my part to show that he's important."
