Distance Team & Parents:
There are a few things I'll be communicating with you soon (end-of-season stats, summer running schedules, and cross country meetings), but I wanted to send a quick note thanking you for a great season. Thanks for your hard work, excellent behavior, and competitiveness. Parents, thanks for all your help this season, it's greatly appreciated.
Even though I'm a coach I don't forget what it was like being an athlete. The time commitment, dedication to one's self and one's team, holding oneself to a higher standard than others, and dealing with the nerves and anxiety that competition brings are all things athletes have to go through. It can be stressful, no doubt, but in order to achieve something great (and we had a lot of personal records last night), you have to go through those anxious and stressful feelings first...it's just the price you pay.
My old coach once said: when you're at a meet, underneath the lights, waiting for your teammate to pass you the baton...some people want no part of that...they'd rather be anywhere else than in that situation. Other people, they live for those moments.
You all made us proud by conducting yourselves with poise, composure, and a commitment to yourselves and each other. Last night was a lot of fun, thanks again.
I'll see some of you soon, we'll have a cross country meeting at Learwood in a week or so. For those moving on to the high school, I'm sure I'll see you out on the course this fall and/or out on the track next year. Keep in touch, I'll miss you guys.
