A GREAT SHOWING BY GOOD KIDS

A couple of weeks ago, The Sun did a lengthy series on drug use by the
youth of our community. The stories of the children who had come under the
influence of drugs were sad and a bit frightening, particularly for those
of us who still have kids at home.

The last thing you want to think about is your child having difficulty in life.

So it was with no small pleasure I recently watched a bunch of good kids
attempting great things at the state cross country meet in Tulsa.

Actually the proper way to say it is that these kids did do great things.
Particularly great was Memorial High School's effort. They won the state
championship for the third time in a row.

For Coach David Sammons and his cross country team continue to win year
after year is remarkable. They deserve all the accolades and then some.
High schools, regardless of the sport, rarely win state championships three
years in a row. Memorial High School has gone beyond this rarity by winning
the state title 12 times in its history.

But I don't want to harp just on Memorial. North and Santa Fe, boys and
girls, were represented at the state championship as well. They deserve a
pat on the back for working and achieving at a sport that doesn't always
get a lot of attention.

I was a cross country runner in high school and I can tell you that it's
not the glamour sport that football or basketball is. No bands play at the
meets.

There are no cheerleaders. School rallies are seldom held for the cross
country team. Only family and friends come to watch the race.

The training isn't easy either. Running isn't seasonal. To get to the state
meet, a runner has to train year round. Sometimes they'll practice in the
morning, sometimes at night and sometimes twice a day.

It also encroaches on their social life. When you train that hard, you
can't stay out late. And because Saturday mornings usually bring an early
morning race, Friday nights are shot. That's not something most high school
juniors and seniors are fond of giving up.

Yet these kids obviously have.

After coming in second in the state, Memorial's Tyler Schmiedeberg ran
through my neighborhood the next day. He didn't take off a day to rest.
That's dedication. Tyler's not Edmond's only dedicated runner. I'd bet the
farm that there were others out practicing that day.

For those of you who read about some of the bad things kids do and worry,
know that there are plenty more good kids out there. In Edmond, if you need
a good example, just take a look at our high school cross country teams.