Going The Distance ... Craig Aguilar

Craig came to cross country on the last day of summer or on the first day of his freshman year, I can't exactly remember which one. Either way, he got a later start on the sport than his fellow teammates did that year.

Sometimes a slow start can lead to disillusionment, disappointment and in my experience coaching over the years, that leads to disappearance. Most kids who come out late don't last. Not sure exactly why it's that way, but it is.

So in that way, Craig is different. Not only has he gone the full distance, he's done it with class and style. Those two characteristics are Craig's strong suit. Gracious and kind to the core, he has painted his years here in vibrant colors of integrity, hard work, a positive attitude and a generosity of spirit that has made us better.

He's adopted a fun nickname, a morphing of his first and last names, "Craiguilar." I like that. It's cool.

All coaches ever really want from their athletes is that the leave having imprinted the people around them with the marks of quality and integrity. Craig has certainly done that, and King Cross Country is better as a result.