"Gosh, your girls are so nice." This was a comment stated to me by theUnited Airlines stewardess on the plane flight home. Funny, just before
that, Coach Mama Clemons and myself were commenting to each other on the exact same sentiments. We were both chatting to each other on the airplane ride home, and one of the subjects was how well behaved our girls are, and their overall decorum: airplane rides, van rides, hotel, restaurants, race site, social activities, how exemplary it was. Oh sure, there were moments of hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. The captains made a decision to have a 6:45A.M. breakfast time for all of us Saturday morning, then go back to the rooms to dress for the race and an 8:15 departure...rather than meet dressed at 7:45(extra hour of sleep), eat breakfast, and leave. This was greeted by more than one terse comment from various team members early that morning...However, all in all, the girls co-existed well, we raced well, and it was a positive experience for all. Again, we raced well...very well. Our varsity sweepstake's team placed
third...roughly two and one-half minutes behind Mountain Brook, Alabama...ranked #21 in the country. Davis, Utah, finished second. Our grouping was phenomenal, the girls competed their hearts out...and we improved as a team. Our #2 team won Varsity Division 1...easily, defeating Mountain Brook #2 who finished second, and received a nice Nike banner and trophy to boot. This team also competed mightily, the grouping was also outstanding, and the girls received commendations from the officials at the meet, including Bob Firman himself. Our #3 team finished fourth, missing third by five points in Varsity Division 2, a change of plans from running junior varsity, and handled the competition more than satisfactorily for
their first-ever varsity experience. The girls were understandably nervous upon hearing of the change; however, all rallied and rose to the occasion. Kudos to top twenty finishers: Lindsay Enright, Whitney Wiles, Emilie No, Kamilah Foley, Meredith Suman, Kasie Dorr, and Sarah Daily...who all were
handed Nike backpacks for their efforts.
Again, a positive experience...A true cross country course, replete with
various terrain...grass, gravel, dirt, concrete...hill and dale...weather
was truly Idaho...cloudy, misty...a different vibe. We knew no one...the
competition was tough...of course after running against Saugus two weeks in
a row nothing phases us...and the girls rose to the occasion. The team was
told that this was a business trip, a chance to better themselves
individually and collectively...and all in all we accomplished this. Now
it's on to Sea View League cluster on October 4, no race this week...and a
chance for our varsity to race Foothill...who defeated us at Woodbridge,
they're ranked ahead of us in Orange County, and are the #1 ranked team in
C.I.F. Division 2, and Woodbridge. We look forward to the competition.
Parents, thank you for your support of this trip, we plan on taking
twenty-one girls again next year...if you were there you' d know why, and
Coach Mama Clemons and myself look forward to the rest of the season.
