10/7 update

Braves,

Friday was a great day for the team. One of the great things about region and pre region is the chance to compare your times from the beginning of the year to this course. Looking at the times from those two points in the season shows the improvement that each of you have made through your hard work. One goal for the team is to always be getting better. While that isn’t realistic for every single race, over the course of the year the trend has been faster and faster.

Ultimately our success is not defined by achievements, places, or times. The question is, have you become improved your work ethic, as a teammate, and as a person over the course of the season? Do you give more at practices now than you did when you began? Do you root for the team and your teammates to be successful no matter the circumstances? Did you contribute positively to the environment, and attitude of your teammates at and away from practice? If you can answer yes to those questions then the season has been successful no matter the times you ran or the place you finished. While none of us is perfect in any of these areas, this team has done a better job at this than any other than I have been around. Credit to each of you for that.

The JV girls started off the meet for us on a high note. We had talked going into the meet about how they had a chance to set the tone for the meet. They did just that by getting 4 girls into the top ten and winning the JV race as a team. I was really impressed with how strong they finished and ran as a team. The JV boys followed that up with a strong race, and also ran very well as a team. Our first 5 runners finished right in a row, which is pretty amazing.

For the second year in a row, and for the second time in school history, the girls won the region championship. While we were the clear favorites going in, it was by no means going to be a walk in the park. Farmington had been running well of late and competed hard to try and flip the script. We knew that if we had a poor day and they had a great day they could possibly beat us. Knowing our team and what we are capable of, once the race began I had a sense of calm, knowing they would give their best and compete as a team. The race was very close through the first mile, and at one point I think Farmington was in front. As the race developed we started to improve our position. After each team’s 4^th runner finished we were tied for first. That is where we took control. Sammi came through some ten places ahead of their fifth runner, with Maddy and Sami also being in front of their 5^th. The girls ended up winning by 10 points. No individual can win or lose a race for a TEAM. It takes a total team effort, and these girls ran a great team race to come away with the win. They have now won the last two meets that they have participated in, showing that they are one of the best teams in the state, with one race to go. As I said on Friday, the best is yet to come for this team.

They boys varsity race was tightly contested between the 2^nd and 3^rd place teams, us and WX. Ultimately WX edged us out by 6 points, giving the boys a second straight 3^rd place finish. Considering a new team joined the region, it is still an improvement from a year ago. They battled and competed every step of the way. Over the course of the past 4 months we learn to recognize your running styles and their cues, and facial expressions and what they mean in terms of your effort and how you are feeling. Without exception it was clear each of you was giving all you could, and wanted to give more. While the boys were 3^rd on the day, there is no reason to be disappointed in yourselves, because you controlled what you could, which was your effort.

The fact that we can only take 7 runners from region to state is a difficult thing for us, because so many deserving runners don’t get the opportunity. While that is personally very challenging for those who just miss out, I cannot overstate how admirably those who have just missed the cut have handled their disappointment. Each of them has put the team ahead of themselves and rejoiced in team successes rather than dwelling on their own challenges. I know firsthand how difficult it can be to come up just short after giving so much for so long; it is brutal, and the way they have responded transcends the sport and shows true character. Sami, Naomi, Abby, Isabella, Scott, and Jake were all on the bubble of going or not and just missed the cut for state. That is an amazing group of kids, and a group we are enormously proud of. Your contribution to this team is greater than your place. Without each of you (those 6, and all on the team), our team and experience would not be nearly as great. Because of you are team is better and the experience more enjoyable.

For most of the team, region was the final race. However, we want all of you at practices, for the same reasons just stated above. You may not be racing at state, but we want you on that bus to sugar house and all over the course supporting those who are running. In fact, we are going to strategically place you around the course, moving from point to point, so we can optimize your support to help the team. Our girls have a chance to place really well – throughout the entire year they have only lost once to a 5A school, and our boys have a chance to burst onto the scene, similar to our girls last year, and show that we are for real heading into next season. This state meet could be the best combined effort (boys and girls) that Bountiful High has ever had. Let’s make some great things happen.

We will have a team dinner at the Steenblik’s home on Thursday at 6. Nan Evans Kennard will be coming to speak to the team that evening as well. She is a former Bountiful runner and state record holder, BYU national team champion in Cross Country (twice I believe), and professional runner. She is taking time from her family and incredibly busy schedule to talk to us, because it is something that she thinks is important. I hope you all will make arrangements to be there. It is going to be awesome.

I look forward to getting back to work on Monday.

Coach Jacobson