Training Champions:
Preparing to perform up to our potential (the 3 P’s of success) is always our goal in training. A runner or team may or may not win a medal or trophy as a result of this, but that doesn’t make them any less of a champion if they’ve done everything they can to be the best runner and the best teammate they can be which is reflected in the following passage from the great coach John Wooden:
A coach can only do his best, nothing more, but he does owe that, not only to himself, but to the people who employ him and to the youngsters under his supervision. If you truly do your best, and only you will really know, then you are successful and the actual score is immaterial whether it was favorable or unfavorable. However, when you fail to do your best, you have failed, even though the score might have been to your liking.
This does not mean that you should not coach to win. You must teach your players to play to win and do everything in their power that is ethical and honest to win. I do not want players who do not have a keen desire to win and to play aggressively to accomplish that objective. However, I want to be able to feel and want my players to sincerely feel that doing the best that you are capable of doing is victory in itself and less than that is defeat.
It is altogether possible that whatever success I have had or may have could be in direct proportion to my ability not only to instill that idea in my players, but also to live up to it myself.
Therefore, I continually stress to my players that all I expect from them at practice and in the games is their best effort. They must be eager to become the best they are capable of becoming. I tell them that although I want them to be pleased over victory and individual accomplishment, I want them to get the most satisfaction from knowing that both they and the team did their best. I hope their actions or conduct following a game will not indicate victory or defeat. Heads should always be high when you have done your best regardless of the score and there is no reason for being overly jubilant at victory or unduly depressed by defeat.
Furthermore, I am rather thoroughly convinced that those who have the self-satisfaction of knowing they have done their best will also be on the most desirable end of the score much, and perhaps more, than their natural ability might indicate.
While that sense of self-satisfaction from knowing you’ve done your best is the ultimate prize, we do also believe that it’s important to recognize our “training champions” and hold them up as an example for others to follow.
400/500 Mile Clubs:
The 400/500 Mile Clubs began the summer of 2006 as an incentive for being committed to getting in the summer mileage necessary to be prepared for the fall XC season. Girls must run 400 and boys run 500 miles over the summer, between June 1st and the morning of Time Trials, to make it in to the club. Those who accomplish this feat receive our version of cycling’s yellow jersey – a gold shirt with the club logo on the front and the following motto on the back:
“Only those who risk going too far
can find out how far they can go.”
– T.S. Eliot
2007
Stephanie Ladd
Bill Martin
Chris Duderstadt
2008
Megan Frohardt
Megan Haghnegahdar
Sarah Mulholland
Chris Duderstadt
Kirk Bodendistel
Megan Frohardt
2009
Megan Haghnegahdar
Molly Smith
Garrett McPherson
2010
Megan Haghnegahdar
Molly Smith
Alli Cash
Caitlin Hooper
Morgan Clay
Evan Williams
2011
Molly Smith
Alli Cash
Emily Herbers
Ryan Cooney
Jonah Heng
2012
Alli Cash
Emily Herbers
Jillian Benson
Bailey Stewart
Hui Feng
Brett Neely
Ryan Fajardo
J Geracie
Tyler Shuck
Jacob Thomas
Ryan Cooney
Mitchell Kelly
2013
Reilly Wiscombe
Jacob Thomas
Peter Dring
Bailey Stewart
Margaret Leligdon
2014
Jagjeet Malhi
Avery Hoffpauir
2015
Alyssa Marksz
James LaPorta
2016
Alyssa Marksz
2017
Ryan Troy
2018
Ryan Troy
2019
Jaden Mellinger
2020
Who is next?
PaceSetter Award:
While the 400/500 Mile Club is given individuals who have worked hard to be the best they can be, the Pacesetter Award Character is about recognizing those who have gone the extra mile and not only elevated their own performance, but that of their teammates. The word “PACE” is an acronym we use to help remind us of the essentials of character that contribute to our success.
P = Potential + Preparation + Performance
ACE = Attitude + Commitment + Effort
Recognizing that attitude, commitment and effort as well as how you prepare are choices, and beyond that, choices which are contagious, a PaceSetter is a team member who has embodied these values, has positively impacted those around them and the culture of our team. In doing so they have left a legacy behind that will be felt long after they graduate.
“What we do for ourselves dies with us.
What we do for others is eternal.”
2010
Claire Boyts
Megan Frohardt
Megan Hagnegahdar
Evan Williams
2011
Jillian Benson
Alli Cash
Brandon Keller
Jeb Stewart
2012
Sarah Hinman
Jess Hole
Ashton Tevault
Ryan Cooney
Jacob Thomas
Becca Geracie
2013
Margaret Leligdon
2014
Erika Smith
Riley Kaiser
2016
Diane Troy
2017
Stephanie Marksz
Grant Kimerer
Mia Wilhoit
Dara Williams
2018
Logan Klingele
Erin Bender
2019
Lucas Dawson
Jed Taylor
Emma Vielhauer
Amelia Hart
2020
Who will be next?
*Recipeints are selected by the coaches from those nominated by their peers.