Near the end of last year's school year, the head coach gave a little nudge to the seniors, one being my son, to get the team running at the beginning of summer. It didn't take much to get them going. There were 5-10 everyday, who showed up to run. Some had never run before, some were veterans at the sport.
August came, when cross country officially starts, the boys were rearing to go. They had "State Qualifying" in their eyes. These kids worked so hard, and not just physically at practice, but also in creating the bond that teams should have. As each meet passed, goals were met, the team flame grew larger, and the bond stronger. Finally, it had come to the night before sectionals, where it is decided which teams go to state. The team came to our home for a good old fashion spaghetti feed, and team building. 4 lbs of spaghetti, 1 very large bag of meatballs, 4 loaves of garlic bread, a large bag of salad and 2 pumpkin pies...these kids can eat! It was not so much the amount of food that impressed me, but what happened afterward. The seniors started, taking turns giving speeches. Each congratulating the younger runners on a spectacular year and best wishes for the future. Some tears were shed by the girls, who were not only team contributors by running, but also great cheerleaders and entertainers - they always had a way to liven things up with some silly rhyme or rap. Then the juniors, sophomores and finally the freshmen spoke. There was at least one in each group who gave appreciation to the rest of the team for making them feel important, and so much a part of the team. These individuals admitted to being worried about not fitting in, and not being included. With joy in their voices, they were so thankful for just the opposite to have happened. I had never been more proud of a group of kids before. The other coaches and I knew success had been achieved, no matter the results of the next day's race.
It was time to lay it all on the line for the big race the next day. The captains took the reins and prepared their team with confidence and hope. This was a fast course. They all had a goal - to run under 18:30 for a cross country 5K (3.1mi) , hoping that would be good enough to earn their team a state-bound spot.
The runners took their place in the assigned lanes, the ref called out "set..." and BANG went the gun. They were off! This is a great spectator course as there are many places for them to see their favorite runners. About 200 yards into the race, one of the lead guys from another school, got a bloody nose. He didn't stop...he kept on truckin'. Each time I saw him, he had more and more blood on his face and arms. That's dedication. Our boys had a strong start and were running well in a pack near the front, starting at about the 20th place or so. That may sound far back, but other than one other school, most were individual runners. To go to state, the team needs to pack together, near the front. Each of our boys, looked stronger and stronger each time I saw them. You could tell they were putting their heart and soul into every fiber of their body to keep pushing forward. It came to about 100 yards before the finish - my favorite place to be. This is where the beast comes out. Each of our boys lit every ounce of booster they had. They finished 23rd (18:03.9), 26th (18:04.2), 31st (18:16.5), 33rd (18:17.9), 39th (18:25.6)...they had achieved their goal of all five finishing under 18:30. The wait for tallying up the team scores was killer. Finally, they were posted. Out of 14 teams, our team had placed 4th. The boys were happy and sad at the same time. They knew they hadn't made it to state, but they also knew they had achieved much more than that. They had all run their butts off, PR'd (personal record), and they had created friendships that will last for a very long time. No one was to hang their heads that day. These kids had done more than just turning in great times, they had included those that thought they might not ever be included, or feel like they mattered. Every kid on that team knew, without a doubt, that they mattered, whether they came in first or last. How can you ask for more than that?
In less than a week, I get the honor of being a part of a team whom I have never met. I get to share my story with them in efforts to boost their excitement for the race and for our compassionate cause. Our nation has a team that fights, and sacrifices daily just to keep us safe and free. The team I will run for, wants to make sure our nation's team does not get forgotten, nor unappreciated. What an honor! I am so thankful to our military for all they do, and I am so grateful to be a part of such an honorable team.
Are you ready? New York - here we come!
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