Enjoy these clips from the 2024 "Up to Speed" newsletter

How You Can Help

The team theme for this year is: "Do something difficult." It's a big lesson that track & field can teach in a genuine way. On any given weekday, we have upwards of 160 active & engaged young persons gathered together. They come to practice and enjoy the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other almost as much as they enjoy the sound of Coach Stryker's voice 😉 Some turn left, some jump high or far, & others throw weighted objects. What could be taken as a chaotic environment that more closely resembles herding cats, we see as an opportunity to teach athletes how to do something difficult.

If you praise an athlete's effort in a race and after a tough practice, you are helping!

If you encourage an athlete to be better prepared for their competition (physically, mentally, & otherwise), you are helping!

If you ask an athlete to reflect & talk about a difficult challenge, you are helping!

We need your help.

Championship Season

It is our championship season, and we only have a few more opportunities to go higher, farther, or faster.

We have already spent a lot of time planning and preparing (and then pivoting) for our practices. We have repeatedly discussed the thrill of "Doing Something Difficult." Not to brag, but we've also created some pretty memorable workouts.

But that is not what matters.

Our performances so far have been outstanding despite lacking a fancy all-weather track with clearly marked lanes for practice and the less-than-ideal weather for our meets. The quality of our times and distances have been consistently impressive.

But that is not what matters.

We are in the slow and steady process of improving and growing. Champions are motivated to make their records genuinely personal. In championship season, this is what matters!

Through the end of May

We believe that everyone wants to be part of something great. Track coaches are dangerously optimistic by nature. Great things can happen when this optimism connects with an athlete's inner drive and personal motivation. Motivation doesn't last very long for young athletes. Of course, neither does bathing; that's why we recommend it daily!

As we look at the schedule, the MSAA Regional Meet and the Bay City Western Invitational have limited entries in each event. Many athletes could have a big gap between competitions, making it a real challenge for some to stay motivated.

Remember, we will be here to help you every day.

Remember, they are called “PERSONAL records” for a reason.

Fear not; the track meet on May 23^rd is open to everyone on our team.

Hey. Ok. Here we go.

That has been a familiar phrase for us this season. Those five simple words probably don’t mean much to the untrained ear. Yet, for us, they’re designed to be inspiring, inviting, and inclusive at the same time. It is how we intentionally begin our practice time, and we all know the magical power of first impressions!

However, in the final edition of Up to Speed, we focus on the enduring final impression of gratitude.

This is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge Mr. McGee. He was working and thinking about this season long before we even thought about working on it. He has made a quiet career as an unsung hero, helping to create opportunities for others by removing as many hurdles from our lane (pun intended) as possible. Thank you.

Also, thank you to our dynamic coaching staff. Together, you helped our team thrive and filled that figurative role of being the adult in the room for me. We not only made it; we made it pretty great. Thank you.

Ultimately, I want to celebrate the winners who chased the thrill of doing something difficult this season! I hope that even if you missed your performance goals or lost a race along the way, you did not miss out on the lesson. 

We have a lot of winners on this team!