It's Not About the Workouts

In November of 1999 he experienced the biggest disappointment of his coaching career…. he battled discouragement so strong that he began to question his ability and desire to continue…Was it because his team had finished 3rd at the State Finals? Definitely not! His teams had finished 3rd (and lower) before. The source of his discouragement was the rejection directed toward him by a group of seniors he had known and shared so much with for most of their lives…a group of guys who had lined up at the State Finals together willing to die for each other. These guys had climbed the mountain, and when they were ready to lay claim to the very top, they had slipped….they lost their grasp of team, of desire, of commitment, of destiny….they lost that which made them special, chasing a dream together with all they had….they began questioning whether paying the price is worth it….everything the coach had told them, had taught them, had lived with them, had shown them, had reminded them, disappeared behind a wall of discouragement…BUT in early December he received a reminder that behind every wall of clouds is the sun…he got up and started another comeback…for the rest of the winter and spring he focused on running and coaching the ones who wanted to be part of that climb…he put the discouragement behind and moved on. He rediscovered his own ability to push beyond the normal limits, past possible, the desire to avoid the easy road and take the tougher route that, while more challenging, leads to greater fulfillment.

The inspiration given to him just when he needed it most lifted him not only to performances over a minute faster than he had been able to produce in the past 5 years but also to a feeling of personal satisfaction unlike any he had ever experienced. He found himself climbing up a “mountain” with a group of guys that loved every single step. Together they shared the challenges, understanding with a wisdom that belied their years that challenges can either make you better or make you bitter… the challenges made them BETTER… not only did the challenges get met head on and conquered but they were able to draw the circle of team, of friendship, ever so tighter…they were able to enjoy each new height on the mountain together…knowing, feeling that it was just a brief rest on the way to the peak.

The climb, all the while was strengthening a connection between all of them…a connection felt so strongly that it swells their hearts with love and pride. A connection so powerful that their coach watching from the sidelines felt what they felt during the biggest race of their lives…this connection fueled with belief in each other, belief in their coaches, belief in themselves, enabled them to have the rarest of athletic achievements…for 17 minutes they “beat with one heart”….they raced with a focus, a desire, a love, that most people can never experience, only talk about, not understanding what it means to lay it all on the line.

Almost everybody who witnessed this rare event on November 4, 2000, knew something special had occurred… they felt the connection of hearts so strong, so wonderfully innocent that it touched all that were connected to this team in a powerful way. The effort given by these 7 boys, given to and for each other, will forever remind many, but especially their coach, that IT DOES MATTER.

It does matter –
-to go the extra mile.
-to want to be together.
-to chase dreams.
-to care
-to share what’s in your heart.
-to give a hug.
-to be humble.
-to fight with all you’ve got.
-to do your best even when others are not.
-to stand tall when others try to bring you down.

The effort these guys gave on November 4, 2000, was a gift to their coach and all who witnessed this incredible moment, but mostly to each other…a gift that will forever enable their coach to give a little more, run a little farther, run a little faster, care a little bit more, love a little harder, feel a little deeper…their gift to their coach, which he called “THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!” really was the most glorious reminder that putting others ahead of yourself does matter…that getting up each time you get knocked down is worth it…that going “one more round” when you don’t think you can really does make a difference in your life.