It looks like I was getting under some people's skin with my posting on my blog. Good. I have a good idea I know who Coach Nicolls is, I have a good idea I know who mtnrnner is, I have no clue who raptor is, but I would like to thank all of them for defending me. I feel my "track" record speaks for itself, and I appreciate the respect. Thanks.
Some of you know who e.c.k. is, and I know as well, but that person, who as they just posted, "is a fan of 5A track and cross country," has asked me to not reveal their identity. Maybe you can trace IP addresses to figure out who e.c.k. is. But, I would bet you all have way more important things to do.
Moving on, maybe I should explain what I mean by "crap" so we are all on the same page. I guess that was what got the feathers ruffled in the first place. I believe that XC rankings are a colossal waste of time. Remember, this is high school cross country we are talking about. I believe that dyestat is not the best thing to ever happen to high school running. I use it, I read it, but I don't necessarily believe it as gospel. Again, I tend to think this is HS school running, not life and death. And I think that athletes could better spend their time than posting on message boards and getting all caught up in a whirlwind of fabricated drama. Three things you could do instead of prowling dyestat. (In no particular order)
1. Go for a run.
2. Do some homework
3. Clean your house for your parents.
I guarantee all three of those will be better for you than trying to figure out who will win the mile race at States in three years.
I hate to brag, (so I will), but bear with me. I really do have a point. :) I have been lucky enough win state titles in 5A Track & Field, lucky enough to ski at the Division One level in college, lucky enough to win a State skiing title in high school, lucky enough to even win a regional title in Little League baseball. (With the help of my brother.) So, with all of these athletic achievements that took months and years of preparation under my belt, guess where I felt the most pressure to win?
Little League freakin' baseball. Isn't that crazy? But it's true! Try pitching with the entire town watching your sidestep. Or imagine what is like to settle under a fly ball with all of your friends behind the outfield fence. My Little League team was consistently on the front page of the local paper, for Pete's sake! Looking back, that was where I felt the most pressure, when I was 12, trying to keep a ground ball from going between my legs. Insane, don't you think? The pressure I felt in Little League was far greater than any pressure I felt in high school, college or coaching. Easily.
This where I see HS track going, unfortunately. Rankings, pressure, expectations, all presented on a national scale. It's slowly turning into what Little League was for me. Hey, I know I am tough, I put pressure on kids, I admit that. But I hope there is more pressure on kids to get good grades, which is how it should be. Or more pressure to be a good family member, where the pressure should be.
I believe I practice what I preach. If you are struggling in school, you need to get the grades taken care of before you practice. Family trips, which unfortunately seem to be so few and far between these days, I encourage. High school running should be the beginning of your running career, not the pinnacle. Yet somehow I feel that it is turning into the be-all and end-all for some athletes. Too much pressure and expectations seem to be riding on HS track.
I want to focus on kids feeling good about themselves when they run and having fun doing it. Sure, winning is fun, but so is cheering your teammates on at a JV meet, or being in the choir, or sitting next to your little brother on a road trip to Virginia with the air conditioner broken. (OK, maybe not that last one.) So, have FUN when you run. If running is not enjoyable for you, then don't do it. Don't give in to external expectations. Set your own goals, achieve them, and then if that was fun, set some more. Running is a lifelong activity, so please, have a good time doing it.
Maybe this makes me sound soft, but that's OK. If kids don't like running, then they won't run. And if they don't run, then that's the crime. I want to win, I want kids to work hard and give their best, trust me. However, not winning is not a crime. Not having fun, that is what sucks.
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