We currently have 72 boys and girls out for Central Cross Country, a new record. This is a far cry from my first year as assistant coach in 1993, when we had 11 boys and 4 girls on the team. This current group, like any team, is learning how to stretch, stay hydrated, eat properly, and battle through early season soreness. We have had a few missteps: learning to arrive on time for practice, not leave our drinking cups all over the school, or not using our stretching ropes to prop open doors. We have also already had some difficult lessons to learn, ones that have caused tears and frustrations for both parents and teammates. People do make mistakes, but it's not the mistakes that define us, it is what we learn from them and how we respond to that mistake that defines the type of person we are.
Having a group this large also means we have the opportunity to have more success, triumph, and tears of joy. As I sit here at 3 in the morning, writing this, I already know I have a extraordinary group of young adults. I have faith that they will respond to any challenge put in front of them and they will meet them not as individuals but with the support of each other. I have already heard older runners encouraging our new teammates so they can finish their runs. I have watched a seasoned runner help a struggling 7th grader use the ropes to stretch, heard the sound of hands slapping together after finishing 1000's on a hot day, and seen the smiles from finishing their first two miles with out walking, I already know I have a team that will not be characterized not by its mistakes, but defined by how they support, grow, and succeed together.
Having a group this large also means we have the opportunity to have more success, triumph, and tears of joy. As I sit here at 3 in the morning, writing this, I already know I have a extraordinary group of young adults. I have faith that they will respond to any challenge put in front of them and they will meet them not as individuals but with the support of each other. I have already heard older runners encouraging our new teammates so they can finish their runs. I have watched a seasoned runner help a struggling 7th grader use the ropes to stretch, heard the sound of hands slapping together after finishing 1000's on a hot day, and seen the smiles from finishing their first two miles with out walking, I already know I have a team that will not be characterized not by its mistakes, but defined by how they support, grow, and succeed together.
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