TRACK PRIDE

Well the middle school Pirates had a short but pretty sweet season, taking 2nd place at the county finals in Callahan, FL.  Callahan is quite the colorful spot.  We passed by a wonderful local BBQ hut whose name is one for the record books: "Callahan Pork Butt Hut."  Got to eat there one day.

It was about as good a day in the spring as you could get: the weather was warm with a light breeze.  It was sunny but a cloud or two would roll by and give a little shade.  My task was to provide a cooler of Gatorade for the athletes and some water.  Check.  After I rolled the icy drinks over to the Pirates' assigned spot on the grass, I watched a bunch of boys wrestle with an 8 lb shot put ball, trying to hurl it as far as possible.  Don't think they'll be ready for the 2016 Olympics, but maybe by 2020.

I had such fun watching the young people compete.  It was clear that there were many people trying the sports of track and field as a new thing, and I just loved to see their determination and all the effort they showed.  Even though the competition was pretty fierce and close at times, nearly all of the students cheered each other on, clapping for even the slowest kids at the event.  There was such good sportsmanship.

I was a mighty proud dad of Will who has never done anything like this before.  He loves sports, but he is not the quickest runner.  His event was the mile, and when it was his turn there were about 24 kids on the track.  When the race started, he stayed at the back of the pack and established a slow and steady stride.  He looked good, even though by his third lap he got lapped by the leader, an older young fellow who ran like a gazelle and was running each leg in about one minute.  Will's splits were right around 2 minutes, and by lap 4 he had passed two competitors!  He finished in 22nd place and posted a 7:40 time.  He was hoping for a little better than that, but I didn't care at all about the time.  I was so proud of him to do it. No way I would have done that as a 7th grader.

As Will ran, I kept finding myself thinking of the passages of scripture that speak of the race we have to run as Christians and how God invites us to run that race with perseverance and trust.  Will's courage and character certainly inspired me at the meet, and it made me yet again very grateful that he is ours and that he is willing to do things to challenge himself in life.  I have long hoped that he would come to love the game of golf, and he does.  Never thought our son would do track, but life is full of surprises and this one has been a real treat.  Keep running, Will, and you will always be our champ!