The Athletes

Luck

We have taken the time over the last two weeks to lay down the foundation and detail of how these athletes got to where they are today. Each story is different, but there are several common threads. All of the athletes have a strong support system that starts with their running family, who some would simply call their team. Their coaches are all very dedicated and committed to the tasks and goals at hand and instill a set of beliefs and a work ethic to the athletes, which is matched by few. And, of course, the athletes work very hard.

Both the coaches and athletes were extremely humble throughout our interviews, always giving credit to others for their continued success. And they are right - it was almost as if each athlete-coach partnership was handpicked and they were meant for each other. Their coach-athlete relationship has been fostered over time and the bond gets stronger by the day. They trust and believe in each other in a way that is very rare, but needed to get to this elite level. The athletes are all very fortunate to have the coaches and teams that they do, the same way their teams and coaches are grateful to have them. This aforementioned mutual understanding establishes a greater sense of purpose for both parties. I would say all of these athletes and coaches are very lucky to have each other, and even luckier to be in the position they are now. But before you think I am passing off all of their work and talent as just happenstance, let me define luck for you.

I use two quotes to shape the definition of luck and they are as follows:

1. "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity" · Seneca

2. "Luck is not chance, it is toil. Fortune's expensive smile is earned." -Emily Dickinson

All of these athletes and coaches have prepared extremely well and they are fortunate to have all of the opportunities that lay before them. It wasn't by mere chance they are some of the best in the country. It was because of hard work, a great support system, and goal setting.

Chris Aldrich and his West Chester teammates push each other constantly. They have an all-for-one and one-for-all mentality. So it's no surprise that each year West Chester Henderson is one of the top teams in the state. Coach Kelly has built a great program and it continues to grow and excel. When I asked Chris about his breakthrough moment, he started off saying that he had a goal of making Varsity by his junior year, but when he ran 4:16 as a sophomore, his eyes opened a little wider than just making Varsity. He now believed he could make some noise on the national scene, and set his goal to make Foot Locker Nationals. His fire has been burning bright ever since. He credits the reason to is his teammates and Coach. Chris said over and over how much his team means to him and he wouldn't be where he was without them. His teammates are what keep him going and inspire him to get the most out of every day. Then you throw in Coach Kelly and you have an unbeatable scenario. Chris realizes how fortunate he is to be in the position he's in with the teammates and coaches he has. With each minute that he spends with them I could see that inner fire being stoked more and more, just waiting to be unleashed on November 24th.

When Vince Mcnally ran 4:31 as an 8th-grader, Coach Craighead knew that he had a very special athlete headed in his direction. The statement that best describes this is, "He's hungry." When Vince was in 9th grade he was good enough to make states in the 1600 or 800, but he chose to go after a state title with 3 other seniors in the 4x8. They achieved their goal by running 7:40 and holding off North Penn in the final. Vince now saw what it took to be number 1. The work ethic that was instilled in him that year has blossomed into something special. Over the next few years he was bothered by a few injuries, and it wasn't until the biomechanical problem was solved that he stopped losing weeks or months of training. His 4:08 at Nike Outdoor Nationals was the product of having several months of injury free training. He had his goals firmly set on the state title, but the cards didn't go his way that day as he was hit with an intestinal flu that week leaving him under strength. Even in his weakened state, he went deep into the well and was in contention with less than a half-mile to go. But red-lining it for those 2.5 miles caught up with him and he finished 18th. Once he fully recovered he was back at it with his eyes supremely focused on the next goal, Foot Locker Regionals. He was 13th last year after being knocked down near the start. Vince's work ethic and drive trump his natural ability. He realizes their is something "greater" out there and he wants to find out what that "greater" thing is as it relates to him. Coach Craighead has been their to guide his journey and push him in ways he hadn't even fathomed. The partnership between those two is special and the stuff legends are made of.

Neely Spence & Kara Millhouse are close friends and training partners. They lead what has to be one of the best high school age club teams in the country, the Cumberland Valley Athletic Club (CVAC). They are lucky to have each other as they push and motivate one another to reach the next level. Kara has had one of the greatest careers in PIAA history by being a 4-year medal winner and improving on her finish each year. Kara is in the mindset that Foot Lockers is the focus and the shift has paid off great dividends, which is evidence by her 18:47 at Van Cortlandt Park. As fans, we were robbed for two years of seeing Neely race at the PIAA meet. But the rule governing homeschooled athletes was changed heading into her junior year and the rest is history. She has been dominant at the PIAA and national level. When I heard her talk, her greatest excitement was looking forward to when her CVAC teammates, especially Kara, would start meeting again. I realized they are both getting so much out of this sport and I don't mean all of the state and national recognition and trophies, but they are making lifelong friends, and what can be more important than that. They have a bond that was formed through running and grew with each mile that they ran together. When one is on a quest similar to these athletes, having friends to share and take part in the journey makes the trek that much sweeter.

From hearing Carly Seymour talk, I got the impression that Coach Wilson saw something in her that she didn't realize she even had. Sometimes that is all it takes to get to the next level, someone encouraging another to push the envelop in ways that they never dared to think of before. Carly went from 58th in the state as a freshman to state champ as a sophomore, and she has not let up in her rapid rise to the nation's elite. Central Cambria is in Ebensburg, PA. Most people from the Pittsburgh area know where that is, because it is the halfway point on the journey to Penn State. But before Carly and Coach Wilson burst onto the scene, I am sure most people had no clue. As I heard Coach Wilson say, "One of his goals was to have people take notice when they show up at meets. And here people say, 'Wow Central Cambria is here today.'" Well that time has arrived. Coach Wilson's power of positive thinking and goal-setting helped Carly not just get on the path she is on now, but blaze down that trail. Carly is a force to be reckoned with and is one of the favorites to win this weekend. Tfhe best thing about hearing her talk was how focused she was on that team title and saying it was big goal she wanted to cross off her list this year. We all know she has knocked that big goal off of her list, and is looking to cross a few more off as the season winds down. With her team and Coach Wilson behind her, nothing will be impossible for her.

The athletes and coaches are in the stretch run of their final XC season. They realize the significance of what lays before them. Their hard work, great coaching, and teammates have helped get them to this point. When they toe the line on Saturday they will not be alone. Their teammates will be there cheering them on, their coaches will be covering the course yelling out whatever comes to mind to keep them running well, we'll be there rooting for them as they pass by (hopefully we won't mess up the camera work in doing so), and hopefully all of you faithful readers will be urging them on as well as they try to accomplish their goals and complete the journey they started many years ago. So wish them "LUCK" because their hard work and preparation are about to meet a great opportunity, and their final outcome will definitely be earned.

The Men Behind the Medals

Passion+Energy is a Very Contagious Combination

We talked extensively with three coaches, Randy Wilson (Central Cambria), Kevin Kelly (West Chester Henderson), and Mike Craighead (Conestoga Valley). Within five minutes of talking to them, I found myself ready to tighten up my shoelaces so that I could do whatever running workout they had in store. I could see the passion in the eyes as I walked up to meet them. And their energy is exuded onto everything around them. By combining these two traits, in addition to a myriad of others, it is no wonder these coaches are so successful and have built such high quality programs. The coaches are all very knowledgeable at their craft and have the athletes long-term development at the front of their minds. Sure it would tempting for some coaches to run these elite athletes into the ground for their own personal glory. But those thoughts never come into play. By establishing a strong team that has an individualized focus, all the athletes under their care are able to benefit.

On top of their passion and energy, all three coaches look as if they are still fit and could give their athletes a run for their money. They all run so effortlessly, from Coach Craighead dashing across the football field yelling splits to 3 groups of athletes, Coach Kelly warming up with his athletes and checking in on them at various points, but still having ample time to make it to the finish, and Coach Wilson seemingly runnings 7 seven miles to cheer for a 3.1 mile race. As one can see, catching up to the coaches was almost harder than catching up to the athletes.

The athletes feed off their coach's energy. It would be impossible to run for one of these coaches and not give 100% on a daily basis. The coaches demand that from themselves. The coaches are able to see the vision of the road that lies before their team and help their athletes navigate the obstacles and successes that they happen upon throughout the season.

Another trait these coaches share is their belief in their athletes. One could argue that they believe in their athletes more than the athletes might believe in themselves. In fact Carly Seymour credited Coach Wilson's belief in her as a big reason to her jump to the next level. She said he kept telling her she could be the best, and one day it finally sunk in because she realized, "Why would he lie to me." So she started believing it too, and we have all seen how well that has worked out. Coach Wilson has what seems to be never-ending supply of energy. The fact we were able to slow him down for an interview shocked. But I was not surprised by the care and time he devoted to us. Similar to the other two coaches, everything he does he is fully engaged. So his captivating interview was not a shock. But what was amazing is how he ties everything in his program together to acheive success. He coaches the middle school track team which tells me one thing, he is fully invested into the development of the program. I could see how Coach Wilson's attitude, energy, and drives are embodied by both his boy's and girl's teams. These qualities, along with many others, shows he foundation of what the program is built upon and gives the first indication of why it is so successful.

Coach Craighead is a student of the sport as much as he is a mentor to his young athletes. When asked why he got into coaching, he replied, "To give something back. I have gotten a lot from running, and I want to make sure others have the same opportunity." On our last visit to Lancaster, Vince was stuck in traffic while returning home from a field trip. So what did Coach Craighead do? He showed us what seemed like every inch of pavement and grass where he has his team run. Did he have to do that? Not at all, but in his words, "I want to make sure you guys get something out of the trip." Spending that afternoon on his personal tour, I felt really apart of their program. And the fact that he took the time to ask us questions and our opinions made the interview feel like a conversation with good friend. We try to be as objective as possible, but little things like this, have you rooting for Coach Craighead and his team to have continued success.

The trip to West Chester would prove to be just as rewarding as the other two meetings. I have always been a fan of Coach Kelly. Because he is such a great ambassador to the sport, by setting up meets throughout the track season that truly are there to benefit the kids. The West Chester Henderson Invitational and Annual Pennsylvania Distance Festival are two premier meets that he organizes each year. And I urge you if you are able to participate, GO!! They are first class events designed to get fast times. Some of the races have pacemakers, but all of them have elite fields. Coach Kelly is fortunate to have a feeder system for his program. He detailed to us what the middle schools and youth programs were doing. And it goes back to the sense of family. How it is isn't just about one person, but a collective group of people chasing after their dreams and goals together.

All three of the aforementioned coaches are great at their craft, because they have invested themselves and their time fully into the endeavor of building a quality program. They all are focused on the development of their athletes and the program as a whole, by taking a strong interest in the youth of the area. They are very inspiring individuals, not because they win and seem to produce state champions at ease, but because of what they stand for and what they try to teach their athletes on and off the course or track. If you have ever have the chance to talk to them for as little as five minutes, you will become an instant fan of their teams and athletes, the same way I did. They drew me in making me wanting to hear more and more and I as tried to understand why these three are so successful. And I knew going in, it would not be one thing, but a combination of many ideals. Their dedication, passion, energy, focus, and series of positive qualities, makes up the foundation their success is built upon. Those characteristics coupled with their commitment to developing a full program puts them on a path headed towards success and makes anyone who comes in contact with them an instant fan.