Sunshine

Finally--a beautiful day for a track meet!

Sportsmanship

Maple Lake Invite: So many things to love about this meet. (Well, except the weather. Always the weather!) Smaller teams meant being "in the mix" in more events than previous competitions and an exciting envelope of medals and ribbons. We continue to develop relationships with other coaches; their support has been remarkable and encouraging. And most significantly, sportsmanship is becoming a natural part of the routine, through volunteering where needed and congratulating competitors at the finish line. Your efforts are being noticed, Nighthawks, and it makes time at the track that much more fun and rewarding for everyone. Keep up the good work!

Morale Boost

Another meet postponed due to the weather. :/ Hmm... Is there *any* opportunity here? Run + snacks + back(barn)yard skills practice = morale boost. :) Thanks for being flexible, everyone!

Trying New Things

Several Nighthawks entered new-to-them events this past week, including the girls' 4x400m relay, the boys' open 800m...and the walking-down-the-field-on-your-knees challenge(??). {Sigh.} We're beginning to see hints of specialty events emerging for these athletes, and it's going to be fun to see which turn out to be favorites! P.S. Thanks to all the team families for bundling up meet after meet to cheer us on. Won't be long and you'll need your sunscreen.

More Track Firsts

Our younger runners hitting the track in uniform for the very first time! One of their bigger learnings was that we coaches are serious about the packing lists: Rain won't stop a meet, so pack your layers--even on warm afternoons, because you never know in April! :) So proud of these kids for jumping into the unknown, getting the job done, and even bringing home a few ribbons. Lots of years ahead for these athletes, and we look forward to the privilege of watching them progress.

Brave

Each of these photos has a backstory of a challenge accepted--from the coaches or from within themselves. All kinds of surprise performances out there! We now have starting points of reference and a new perspective for our training. Congratulations to each one (pictured or not) who proved to themselves that they can do hard things and are capable of more than they know. Thanks again to Rockford for your hospitality and for giving us the opportunity to compete close to home.

First-Ever Track & Field Meet

First-ever track & field competition for the Nighthawks! Lots going on (and of course everyone PR's and makes the Honor Roll of team bests), but today's shoutout is to our milers--all CC runners--for braving the cold and wind at the Rockford Time Trials. So fun to watch these athletes racing on the track for the very first time and finding that extra gear out there. Once we all overcame our nerves, we had a blast and can't wait for more. "Running around in circles" isn't so bad after all. :) Impressively well run meet, thanks to our organized and welcoming hosts at Rockford. And a huge Thank You to our sponsors for making this all possible! Heppner's Legacy Homeschool Resources, Three Goats in a Tub, Hanover Athletic Association, Northwest Area Jaycees.