Read on Twitter
A thread.....
https://www.milesplit.com/articles/291160?page=5&fbclid=IwAR0x4FPqW-d7UcWIy9SPxVY4EsR_gt94YYxflP_fwK69kfokh6pJRJEJAFE
https://www.milesplit.com/articles/291160?page=5&fbclid=IwAR0x4FPqW-d7UcWIy9SPxVY4EsR_gt94YYxflP_fwK69kfokh6pJRJEJAFE
Well, this was some kind of cool news to receive today. National High School Girls XC Coach of the Year. I debated sharing this. I don't want to come across as some self-promoting, look-at-me jerk by posting this. I just have some thoughts and gratitude around what led to this.
Grace-I spent 15 years of my life as a drunk. Drove off everyone ever close to me. Lost most of everything that ever meant anything to me. August 8 of 2005 I ended up in the hospital again. God the good, good Father began an act of redemption and restoration in my life.
In fact, he began a brand new life in me that day. That was over 15 years ago.
People-everyone I ever gave a reason to give up on me for some reason never did. My wife, my kids, my parents, my friends. Jeff, Adrian, Big Dave, Paul and tons of others. They stayed with me. They kept betting on me even though I'd given them lots of reasons not to.
Passion-God gave me a new passion. He gave me a new gift. The gift and passion of running. "I feel God's pleasure when I run" is close to a quote from Chariots of Fire. Even more so today "I feel God's pleasure when I coach"
That's something I never even looked at as a possibility in my life at one point. Nobody wanted me coaching their kids. To be able to do this today is a miracle.
Mentors-I'll guarantee you I'm not the best coach in the country. I'm not the best coach in the state. I'm not the best coach in the community where I live. I've had multiple, phenomenal coaches in this area, that know a heck of a lot more than me, cheer for me along the way.
People like Jonathan Dalby, Kelly Christensen, Mark Stenbeck, Greg Weich, Brian Runyon, Andrew Drysdale and a whole host of others have allowed me to do what I love to do.
My team-They're the ones that train, that race. They're the ones that built this thing from nothing and turned it to something beautiful. When they learned to succeed they showed those that came behind them how to succeed as well. Today they carry the torch will also pass it on.
My assistants-They're not just coaches. They're mentors. They're leaders. They give up their time and their energy for no money, no fame, no recognition, just a love for these kids. Toby, Lane, Courtney, Kari, Sara, Sarah, Bethany, Reagan, Aidan, Caroline and all that came before
