If you've been a part of a sport that's "in your blood" you know what I'm about to describe. For basketball it may be the smell of the leather ball, or the gym floor. For football it may be the nasty sour shoulder pads. Volleyball, balls resounding off of red, bruised arms. For soccer, maybe the freshly cut grass under your feet. Baseball, the sounds of the balls hitting metal bats.
For me it was the sound of the PA system, along with the smell of the air and rubber track on a good "track day." There are bad track days (those which include rain and wind), and there are good track days. The good ones have a briskness in the air, sun shining above, and this smell that's just hard to describe, other than saying the smell of Spring.
So far during practices this season, we've had some good ones, along with some bad. It's been fun being on the opposite side of things, as a coach instead of a runner, but it's been a little hard adjusting to not being the runner. Of course I can still run, but it's not the same as the feeling of fast competition. (Except the day Kenny and I raced...a sight to see!) So, I haven't felt the sense of nervousness that comes along with the smells and sounds of track season....until yesterday....
Yesterday was our first track meet of the season. We heard all week from parents telling us how nervous their kids were, and I was really glad to hear that. That meant they were serious about what they've been working so hard to achieve. And they did it.
Not only did we have the largest team by far, which showed up when there were entire heats in races of only ACA kids, but we finished well in most events. It was great, we were proud, and the kids improved.
Onward and upward to Saturday's meet!
7 comments:
Won Jh girls and boys and Sh girls and boys...must be the coaches
not if our volleyball and football teams have anything to do with it! :)
congrats guys! when's the next meet. We need to come out and watch!
Saturday in Mobile, but there's another one on Monday at Lee HS.
Jamey; What a great, vivid description! It makes me wish I were young and fast. What time is the meet Monday?
The field events start at 4, and the running events start shortly after. I've never in my life experienced such a prompt meet...they shuffled through those events like there was no tomorrow. We were finished by 6! The kids were tired though due to lack of rest between.
yay! I ran cross country, indoor track and track in HS. I can remember well the nervousness that came along with it. tightening up those cleats every single time, and positioning the starter blocks just right. I also remember crying before one race, I was so nervous. I did really well in it. In another, I threw up. awesome.
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