Final Season Coming to an End

Well folks, my chapter as a track and cross country coach at EP is coming to a close. I cannot believe how quickly my time here has passed. When I first came aboard 4 years ago, my only objective was to help get the boys cross country program headed in "A" direction. But in true Tim Broe fashion, I ended up being the head boys cross coach and the assistant track coach for both boys and girls distance. It has definately been a lot more work than I anticipated but it has also been a truly rewarding experience that I will never forget. Seeing kids like Jacob VanGunten break 5 minutes, watching an unlikely group of seniors win a conference 4x800, coaching a freshman Keving Eades to a 15:45 and a state birth are all memories that will stick with me forever. At the end of the day it really had nothing at all to do with getting faster, but rather getting a group of young people off their couches and getting them excited about the sport of running. I think I can safely say Mission Accomplished!

I haven't been on here for a couple of weeks and there is a lot to report. The boys had their conference meet almost two weeks ago and finished up their season Friday night with the state qualifying sectional meet. Although we did not have any big PRs or gold medals, I feel like this group has turned a corner...emotionally speaking. Im not sure if it was the abrupt departure of senior Hugh Gill, the reality that most of them are going to be seniors themselves, or that the reality that I am leaving is finally setting in. There has been a lot of talk about how much people are going to run this summer and I really hope they stick with that plan. A real bonus for me has been that we have found an more than suitable replacement. Will Swain, a former D3 All-American while at North Central College just accepted a physics position as well as the head cross postion earlier last week. That is a big relief to know that everything I have worked so hard to do will not just fall apart when I leave. Will is a heck of a nice guy who is young and passionate about he sport and will be a great fit at EP.

On the flip side the Lady Raiders have had an awsome finish to their season after what I would consider a rocky start. They had some really big performances at their conference and sectional meets over the last three weeks highlighted by Cassie Lohmeier and Emma Preston bringing home state medals! To say that I am going to miss coaching these young ladies would be a major understatement. They have been so enjoyable to work with on a daily basis. No back talk, hard work and a willingness to do whatever is asked of them to get better is what keeps coaches coming back season after season.

So here are my last shout outs as a track and cross coach at EP:

Kevin Eades - Gave everything he had despite knowing he was not at his best and also having what I beleive is a tibial stress fracture to finish 5th at the conference 3200. Not to worry folks, Kevin has a lot more in store for you all ; )

Alec Gonzalez - ran a pr of 4:45 in the 1600 at the sectional meet

Alec Cortes - finally dug deep and ran hard for two full laps to hand off tied with the leaders at the conference meet in a 2:05

Cody Margetis - taking a leadership roll all season with his relay teams and running a huge season best of 53 in the 400

Evan Jenkins - despite a 3rd stress fracture in as many years still showing up everyday to help me in any way he could, swimming at 5 am every morning and biking every afternoon shows the kind of dedication and determination that very few possess

Brant Watson - just wanted to give him another thank you for being such a great leader and roll model for every kid on this team. He also finished up his career running a respectable 11:00

Gage VanOrder - finally decided to run through discomfort in the 800 and run 2:10 at sectionals. He also made a race at the frosh conference meet just getting beat at the line in the 800 as well

Jacob VanGunten - what can I say about this kid that I havent already. He quietly shows up every single day with a positive attitude and does everything I ask him. His willingness to shut his mouth and open his ears along with his drive and ability to dig deep everytime he races will take him a long way in life. Jacob finally got his sub 5 mile finishing 4th at the conference meet in the frosh 1600!

Zach Sells - I think I can finally say that Zach is going to be a runner. He resisted for 9 months, but given that determined look I saw on his face when he almost won the Tim Broe F/S Invite 400 and the smile on his face when I told him he ran 61 in the 400 proves that anybody can do this if they just give a little effort on a consistent basis ; )

Austin McGraugh - This team player is going to be a real leader someday. I have never coach a kid that is so positive and is willing to do anything I ask of him all while he wears that big goofy grin on his face! Unfortunately Austin had a season ending injury a week before conference while high jumping but he has informed me that he intends to run 750 miles this summer!

Cassie Lohmeier - What can I say about this kid...she is one of the special ones. At the conference meet she ran a school record 2:17.56 in the 800 and followed that up with a win in the 1600. At sectinals she comfortably won the 3200 and came back to finish 3rd in the 800. The state meet did not go as well as we would have liked but she ran tough and finally got that medal shes been chasing for the last 4 years finishing 7th in the 3200

Ashley Schmitt - What a little fighter. Watching her teammates run 217 like its nothing only motivates her to work that much harder. She didnt miss one practice since Ive been here and it finally paid off at sectionals when she finished 4th in a 30 sec pr of 11:45, which also qualified her for the state track meet! She got some invaluable experience and ran a respectable 6th place in her heat down at the state meet over the weekend

Emma Preston - All I can say is that Emma is a thoroughbred. When she figures out what she really wants out of all this she is going to be a really dangerous runner. Emma finally ran like she was capable at the sectional meet when she pulled up on the 2 time state 800 meter champ at the sectional meet with 50 meters to go. And although she didnt win, she did figure out that she is capable of running witht the best in the state. Oh yeah and she ran a school record 2:15.97 to boot! She broke her own record in the heats at the state meet running 2:15.55 finishing 2nd and qualify for the fianls. In the finals she over came a mental lapse from 600 to 700 meters and picked herself up to finish a remarkable 4th place!

Hannah Sheppard - She finally gave in and admitted that she is an 800 meter runner after she was nipped at the line at the conference meet to miss winning by .2 seconds. She ran a big pr of 2:34 along the was and has decided there is a place for her in this sport. she wants to be on the bus to Charleston next year and is going to do whatever it takes to get there

Heather Jones - Ran a huge pr at conference in the 4x800 of 2:35 and put us in the lead after the 2nd leg. She came back and won the frosh mile running 1st from wire to wire with a pb of 5:51 to boot!

If you cannot tell I am extremely proud of everyone of these kids. They have worked harder than 99% of all their classmates and have found out what it means to be dedicated. I never thought I would get so choked up about watching a girl run 1145 or a boy run sub 5 but it just goes to show that winning is a very small part of what sport is all about. I hope the lessons and th memories that these athletes have learned with me stick with them for the rest of their lives. Who knows, I may be coaching future track coaches themselves!

On a very different note, I got up to New Hampshire to finally see the new place for myself. Totally awsome! Thats the only way to put it. I definately have my work cut out for me over the next few years but I know it will get accomplished as I have very determined and talented people supporting me. I am going to save my plans and updates for the new project for a later post, but needless to say there are some big things happening with ITA in the very near future!

Thanks for reading and as always Go Raiders!