The Amazing Finish

Attend any track meet and you might find yourself thinking that everything boils down to the finish. But as you can see from the way one Principia runner summed up her season, the end never tells the whole story: “I’ll remember our hard workouts, the amazing breakthroughs, the constant love and push for progress from our coaches, the incredible spiritual growth I witnessed for myself and my team, and the joy I felt running when I let God take over.”

The 2010 Upper School track team consisted of nearly 75 student-athletes from freshmen to seniors—some with extensive competitive experience and others relatively new to the sport. After weeks of races and hours of devoted practice, 21 Upper Schoolers (11 boys and 10 girls) qualified to compete at the Missouri State High School Track & Field Championships. In the end, the Principia boys placed 2nd and the girls finished 12th among Class 2 schools. “It’s easy to focus on our performance at State since that’s the last measure of success for the season,” Coach Jamie Bollinger says, “but the countless examples of our athletes achieving more than they ever thought possible is just as significant.”

Senior and three-event State qualifier Larry Patterson “paved the way for many other Upper School athletes to realize they could run fast too,” says Bollinger. At State, Larry finished 5th in the 200-meter, 3rd in the 400-meter, and 2nd in the 4×400 relay. Dedication, humility, and leadership (along with numerous broken School records) are his athletic legacies.

Other athletes also left their marks. When senior Aean McMullin first shifted from tennis to track, he wasn’t sure he even enjoyed running, yet he ended his high school career as one of the fastest milers in the State, placing 4th. “It’s been a privilege to watch Aean grow into an accomplished runner,” Bollinger comments. “I’m not sure he’s even aware of how good he can be.” Similarly, senior Clayton Harper moved from another spring sport (baseball) to track. His budding interest in hurdles last year turned into hard work and personal bests this year. Clayton finished 3rd in the 300-meter hurdles.

On the girls’ team, senior Stephanie Romero and junior Liz Gilman also led by example, qualifying for three events apiece at State. During her time at the Upper School, Stephanie expanded her racing events, taking 2nd place in the 800-meter at State. Liz Gilman took on the difficult event of pole vaulting while also competing in the middle distances. “I remember Liz (as early as last year) telling me that she was not going to run and that I couldn’t make her run,” Bollinger recalls. “Well, she was right, I didn’t make her run—she learned to love it on her own and is on her way to becoming one of the best 800-meter runners in the State.”

This was a season to remember for far more than its memorable wins. Growing spiritually, achieving what seems impossible, and dedicating one’s self to progressing day after day united track teammates and coaches. “Working with student-athletes like this and seeing the wonderful progress they are so eager to make is the reason I can’t wait to come to school each day,” Bollinger eagerly shares.

(Pictured above are Principia’s 1st place finishers in the 4×800 relay. From left, Cooper Stock, Ross Furbush, Aean McMullin, Austin Holmsley.)