I just want to thank Chris for putting the track meet together. He did the majority of the planning and getting everything ready. I was just the “ear” for all his plans and worries. The officials and volunteers were above and beyond helpful. We were so lucky to have such knowledgeable track people. The meet could not have run smoothly without you all.
I also want to thank each and every Orange Team member. From the start of all this, we were well represented at the races and track practices. Chris always commented how the Orange Team stayed after to work on relay handoffs, warmed up together and just seemed to be one. He was impressed at how our chairs were set up in a circle on Saturday. Without your dedication and spirit, we would not have won. I wish we could keep our team together.
So here is my recap of the track meet…..
Chris and I are 2 very competitive people, so there were lots and lots of smack talk all season long about who had the better team (obviously ME). There were also MANY arguments about his “rules and regulations” between Chris, myself and Pete. One of the very first heated discussions took place in the beginning of May at the Brenner’s bbq and I think every long Sunday run after that. Eventually, Pete and I conceded on the issues.
After we had the track meet rules set in place (things were still questionable) and the date of the track meet secure, we set out to see who could actually attend. This is where the Orange team had some problems. Our track team went from 28 people down to 19. No one could commit 100%! Once we had a good idea (so we thought – it changed 10 times after that), I set out to do the roster. I failed miserably trying to put one together and gave the job to my 2 very tactful co-captains, Pete and Tom. I think all the years with their R2C Bucktones captains, Fred and Mark, paid off. They both strategized and put together our winning roster.
So the roster was set, rules kept changing and then we find out one of our best sprinters is hurt and can’t make it. Pete and Tom went to work, and then we find out someone else decided to go on vacation and can’t make it, back to strategizing they went (these changes made things difficult because our main strategy was to have more relays than the Blue Team). But all I can say is that, thankfully these people weren’t on that Blue Team with Chris the Track Czar!
Finally, a week before the track meet and everything is finalized (so we thought). They put together our final roster, and I went to work on the heat and lane assignments. We figured if we lose one more person, we were doomed. Thursday, August 11, I get an email from our best runner, Greg Yerkes, saying he’s hurt and unsure if he can run, but will let me know for sure on Friday. And yes, I did let Chris in on all this, and yes he was snickering away! More roster changes, I felt bad, our runners thought they were running one thing and the next day a whole other event. For example, Rich Kanak almost went from the 100 meter dash to the 1600, and I think we changed Mark Eiler’s events 5 times!
Finally, the day of the track meet, I prayed everyone would be there and no more changes. We all wore our Orange shirts, and Emily even dug out her pumpkin earrings to wear! Greg couldn’t run and I put him in charge of keeping score and letting us know. After the first few events, we were down, by a lot, and we were very worried. I remember going back to our tent and seeing Pete and Tom and the majority of the Orange Team huddled around our table trying to figure out where we’ll make up points, just another example of team camaraderie. The meet went on people fell during the Dizzy Izzy, Glenn cramped up (he probably didn’t drink enough purple Gatorade!) and Pete and Tom’s strategies worked and the rest is history.
The 1st WINNING Orange Team….
Pete Lederer
Tom Beerbower
Joe Haughey
Eric Tobias
Steve Igouchi
Brendan Nemec
Paul Snyder
John O’Brien
Jim Larson
Rich Kanak
Glenn Cohen
Eric Stern
Tim Damiani
Mark Eiler
Greg Yerkes
Renee Harnishfeger
Charolette Buglio
Maggie Kanak
Cece Igouchi
Emily Grace
Allyson Thompson
I do want to acknowledge some Orange Team members:
Pete and Tom-Thank you guys for working on the ever changing roster. No way could I have put it together.
Greg Yerkes-Thank you for taking care of calculating the points and of course winning the Bean Bag toss.
Emily Grace-Thank you for working the concession stand and bringing the ORANGE CRUSH soda to the after party!
Rich and Maggie Kanak-Thank you guys for coming early and packing your truck with equipment and coolers and helping us clean up and unload everything back in our house. And thanks for filling up the water balloons, not an easy task!
Eric Tobias-Thank you for being a good sport and doing the Dizzy Izzy and the very next event. I didn’t realize how hard the Dizzy Izzy would be.
Eric Tobias, Steve Igouchi and Brendan Nemec-Thank you guys for stepping up to the plate and running in 3 relays, the 3 of you did awesome. You guys were the main reason we won, having those extra relays.
THE REST OF THE ORANGE TEAM-Thank you guys for coming out to the races, track practices and your awesome job on Saturday.
Allyson;
ReplyDeleteI bet you cannot wait until next year. :-)