Friday Before Finals ... Find a Way

"If you really want something, you'll find a way. If you really don't, you'll find an excuse."

Tomorrow is the day. How bad do you want success tomorrow? Find a way.

Thursday Before Finals ... Flexibility

Sometimes you just gotta flex. Bend. Move. Adapt.

Game plans and strategies are good, but successful athletes always have a Plan B in place and go into any competition willing to flex. Rigidity is the death of accomplishment. Life throws you a curve, and you're not ready for it, you'll be swinging and missing or frozen in your tracks.

With an incoming storm, "the best-laid plans of mice and men" as it was once written are threatened to be washed out. We planned to run the traditional course. Our minds were wrapped around hills and dirt. But the clouds of heaven might make us move to flat and concrete.

Are you ready to be flexible? Are you ready to turn your mind off from "Plan A" and fully embrace "Plan B" as if that backup had been your primary all along?

Successful athletes will find a way to do that.

Wednesday before Finals ... "The Drive"

I received a letter today from the Trupp family, which they gave me the permission to post.  It says the following:

Dear cross country team, coaches and Coach Peters

Wow! We are so grateful for the time and generosity that you all have given to support our family. Rebecca is slowly recovering, although she still has daily headaches. She has therapy 4 days a week in Loma Linda. However, she works hard everyday and uses the drive she learned from cross country, track and DECA. Thank you again for all your support and prayers.

Fondly, The Trupp Family --

"Once a Wolf, Always a Wolf."

Neat letter, (Thanks Trupps!)  and more so another reminder of what's important in life. While CIF Finals is a great and tremendous achievement for any high school cross country runner, it pales compared to life itself. We're grateful for the life that's been granted to Rebecca; even to all of us.

But the letter reminded me too what always inspired us about Rebecca, and what I hope will be a characteristic of your races on Saturday. The Drive.  Rebecca was unceasing in her pursuit of improvement and excellence. She was, and is still, a driven person.

I want to encourage you to head into the CIF Finals determined to drive toward your goal. Drive into the hills.  When it gets tough, when the pain mounts, drive through it. Don't give up. Don't surrender just because it's hard. Drive to the finish line.

Being driven in life can have it's drawbacks, but in my opinion, it is more often the path to success than it is the path to defeat. 

Rebecca Trupp has shown us how its done. Let's show her we've been paying attention.

Tuesday before Finals ... Three needed blocks of the Pyramid

We last talked about Wooden's Pyramid a couple of weeks ago now. Not wanting it's wisdom to disappear, we brought it back into the discussion today. Overlooking the pinnacle, "competitive greatness" as something that will be reserved for Saturday, I challenged each of you to revisit and think about three of the key blocks that support the peak, and more to the point, how you could implement what you've learned about yourself in those categories as you head into the race.

Mental Confidence.  Are you ready? Are you ready to perform at a high level? Of course you are! You've trained. Go back and look at your miles for the season. Remind yourself of those break through races and workouts where you proved your fitness to yourself. Remind yourself of the sacrifices you've made to be good this year.  All of those things, coupled with the realization that you qualified for this race should build your confidence.

Poise.  This is such a hard thing for athletes your age to master, but we're not the kind of coaches to let athletes slide because you're sixteen. We expect you to show poise. Why? Because first of all, it's needed. You can't perform in big competitions without it. But also because poise is a byproduct of the work, the races and the preparation that has gone into this race. All 16 teams on the line Saturday are talented. All are fit. All are prepared and well coached. You don't get this far without that. So what will separate you from your opponents? What will allow King to excel?  One thing. Poise.

Team Spirit.  Sometimes team spirit is easy in August, and it's much tougher in November. Sometimes teams thrive on team spirit all season long, it never lags. Other teams never seem to get it. The whole season is a dirge.  But often, by November, it's tough to maintain. Why? Cuz folks are tired. Folks are "used" to each other and we let our gaurd down.  This is not the time to let that go. I challenge you to keep building bridges between yourself and your teammates. Guard your tongue. Find ways to build each other up. Find ways to stoke the fires of enthusiasm. When we race on Saturday, we have to race as much for each other as we do for a crown, a spot or a time.

Monday before Finals -- Opportunities

With CIF Finals upon us this Saturday, I got thinking about how the race represents an opportunity or more. Certainly, on the sport's grandest stage, it's an opportunity to achieve excellence in cross country racing. The course, the weather, the fans, the competition, it'll all bring it out of you.  It's an opportunity to put into practice what you've trained all year to do.  It's an opportunity for some individuals and teams to qualify and move on to State.

Opportunity abounds.

One of the railroad millionaries of the 1800's was once asked by someone, "How'd you get so rich?" His answer was simple. "I seen my opportunities and I took 'em". 

So simple, yet so true. I ask you, will you see the race this Saturday as an opportunity to succeed? Will you "take it?"

Going the Distance ... Nick Rini

It's not hard to notice Nick Rini.  His persona stands out from the crowd.  He's the one adorned in a mane of somewhat unkempt hair, proverbial t-shirt and cutoffs; the threads from which hang like stalactites.  Nick Rini is a simple guy ... he's got his style and it fits him.  Pay no heed to fashionistas who surround him.  Unpretentious to the core, he responds to the moniker "homeless boy" with a smile and a pleasant, "how ya doing?"  Life seems to move in slow motion for Nick. He moves through time unhurried, content with the tune in his head -- probably a Led Zeppelin song -- and the friends he's surrounded himself with. He's an easy guy to like.

He's an easy guy to fall in love with when it comes to racing. That quiet demeanor in his day-to-day is a roaring lion between the start and finish lines. Watching him outside of the race, you'd swear it can't be the same guy ... but then you notice the hair, flowing off the back of his head like tongues of flame from a rocket.  Tenacious, determined, competitive, he's as tough as the course, even tougher. Simply put, he's a guy you WANT wearing your uniform, as you know beyond a doubt that he'll give everything he has, every step of the race.

Cross country is the epitome of team sport.  It takes all types to make the team and all types need to do what they do to bring success. What Nick has brought to the team of King High cross country has been a quiet form of leadership. He models the ethic of the runner. He preaches by practicing. He races without fear. He accepts with humility the occasional defeat, but more often than not, his style of racing has brought his team victory.  Over the course of four years, he has improved tremendously. As a freshman, his marks were usually at the high end of 19:00 ... today that's slower than a threshold for him. This season, he's been consistently King's #3 man, a roll that unenviably could be lost in the shadows of the leaders and bypassed as folks strain to find the 5th scorer. Nick just may like it that way. Let me do my job, the glory can go to others...

The days of his wearing the King uniform will soon come to an end. In his gracious, gentle spirit, he'll hang it up and drape himself again with cut-offs and t-shirts emblazoned with bands of his liking. Having arrived quietly, we suspect he'll retreat from the sport in similar fashion. We're ok with that, as long as he knows of the tremendous impact he's had on our program and the lives around him. King High XC is better because at least once a week for the past four years, the long-haired wonder wore the red white and blue.

Wooden's Secret of Success - Competive Greatness

Congratulations King Cross Country! For most, you have reached the end of the season and with that, we discuss the last secret to success- Competitive Greatness.

It is always a difficult time of year for many athletes. On some levels you are relieved that the daily grind is done, the long miles in the heat are over and the sore and tired legs are feeling refreshed and energized. I would assume for many, however, you are replaying the season in your head recognizing how quickly it all went by and wishing you had more time to improve or run a race over again to prove your hard work was worth it. Hopefully you don’t have any regrets, but if you do, use it as a learning tool and strive- really strive-to do more and be more next season.

No matter what, you have accomplished something. For each of you it is different. Perhaps finishing three miles is a huge triumph- perhaps breaking 20 minutes was a success- perhaps winning a race was a first. You know what you have done right and you know what you have done well. Enjoy that feeling and know that you deserve it.

What you have all been a part of is a team. You have had to achieve and sacrifice for the sake of a team. It is a unique honor to be part of something special and hopefully you would never let your team down. You want to be better for your team and you should absolutely refuse to let your team down. When we do things for a higher purpose, when we recognize we are willing and wanting to be more successful for the sake of others then we are working towards success. When we are truly EAGER to do things for a higher purpose, you are a success.

You will be a part of a team the rest of your life. Your family is a team, your community is a team, your workplace is a team, and your country is a team. There is a spirit in a team that is unshakable and when you commit yourself to it, you accept the responsibility of the human experience. You must give to receive and you must be at your best and prepared to be at your best even in times of uncertainty, sadness, and difficulty. You should always want to contribute to your teams in life. Think of the greatest relays of all time. The energy, the spirit of the crowd, the intensity, the unwillingness to let a teammate down- the athlete always seems to compete at his or her best.

Carry the spirit of the relay with you when you are faced with pain, when you want to give up, when you don’t think you can give any more. You can’t control the actions of others, but you can control your own. You must remain EAGER to do your best for the sake of the team.

Be great. Make each day your masterpiece. Have faith, have patience. It is not easy, it will not come to you. You must eagerly work to attain it. Your work will pay off. You might not know this now, but you will.

Wooden says that “true competitors know it’s EXHILIRATING to be involved in something that is very challenging. They don’t fear it. They seek it. Is it fun to do that which is ordinary, easy, simple, something anyone can do? Not at all.”

I challenge you tonight to go home and concentrate. Do not just show up tomorrow without direction and a plan. Focus on what you want and not on what you don’t want for your upcoming race. Create a personal statement and write about your goals. Write on what you want to dedicate to your team. Create something that will inspire you tomorrow and the rest of your life. If you have the courage, share it with someone else, you never know how your words can inspire others. OWN IT.
The Great Competitor


Beyond the winning and the goal, beyond the glory and the fame,


He feels the flame within his soul, born of the spirit of the game.


And where the barriers may wait, built up by the opposing Gods,


He finds a thrill in bucking fate and riding down the endless odds.


Where others wither in the fire or fall below some raw mishap,


Where others lag behind or tire and break beneath the handicap,


He finds a new and deeper thrill to take him on the uphill spin,


Because the test is greater still, and something he can revel in.


---Grantland Rice

Written by Leisha Clendenen

Going the Distance ... Daniel Balcazar

I think Daniel is a mystery to most of his teammates, and sometimes is to his coaches. Quiet and reserved, always with a shy smile, he followed in the footsteps of his older sister Tatiana, a quality runner herself, and showed early on in his freshman year that he was destined to be a varsity runner. He still holds a top-5 time for freshman on the Mt. SAC course at a very impressive 17:19 and was close to earning a varsity spot that year, something few freshman boys ever dream of doing. His long stride combined with a fierce desire to compete led us to see great things in his future.


By his sophomore year, he had improved enough to cement his position on the varsity team and have a spot on the CIF team that ran during the raging wildfires of 2008 on a shortened Mt. SAC course. He improved his Mt. SAC Invite time to an impressive 16:45 and looked ready to have a breakout year in 2009. As coaches we had high expectations, but instead of a breakout junior year, it turned out to be a time of trials and questions.

He returned to the summer of his junior year out of shape and not ready for the summer camp in Mammoth, something that frustrated his coaches who wondered what had happened to the talented young runner. As coaches, we have come to expect that many runners will drop out of cross country between their sophomore and junior year after seeing that they are not destined ever to see a varsity race. But Daniel had already made it to the varsity level, so we were left wondering if he had lost the passion for running.

Despite missing Mammoth, Daniel eventually showed the talent made the varsity team, but his season was again curtailed when poor grades made him ineligible at the end of the season. Despite having the skills necessary for both running and being successful at school, Daniel seemed to have lost the industriousness and discipline needed to do either at a successful level. I am certain that this was a frustrating lesson for Daniel, who despite his quiet persona has always shown that he is a very competitive person. Still, we wondered if he would even return for his senior season. Too often we have seen many runners give up when faced with adversity instead of recommitting to the hard work that it takes to be successful.

To his credit, Daniel’s started by getting his grades back in order and up to a B average by the end of the semester, and he maintained those grades for the rest of the year. Certainly as coaches we always stress academics before athletics, but when he showed up this summer fit and ready to run, we were happy that he had made it through a difficult time and committed to having a great final season of cross country. As we ready for league finals and CIF to follow, Daniel has shown that he is ready for the challenge.

As John Wooden has said, adversity is often an asset. Though none of us openly choose to make poor decisions or seek out hard times, most of us will experience it at some point in our lives. Often, we have to look to our family, friends, coaches and teammates to support us along the often difficult paths that life leads us down and find strength from them to grow and learn from life’s hard times, and I am certain that Daniel would say the same. As coaches, we know that high school is just the beginning of a long path through life, and we wish Daniel well as he continues on.

Going the Distance ... Samantha Enriquez

One of the first experiences that I remember with Samantha Enriquez was pulling her off the course at the Great American meet in Alabama because she was too injured to go any further. Tears of sadness of course followed, but not so much from the pain that Sam was experiencing, but the pain of what could be- what should be.
Sam was dubbed early on as a competitor. She was going to make her mark on our team early leading her coaches to believe she would be a freshman starting varsity. What became obvious as her freshman season and each season progressed after was that running for Sam was not going to be marked with the varsity experience we had hoped. Instead, it was going to be marked with enduring pain plagued with injuries and frustrations over what she should be achieving.

The battles and adversities a cross country runner faces are present even when there is no injury to report. The searing heat of August , September and October never make the sport all too appealing to most. The effort it takes to train for three miles is what some would assume is more like training for a marathon. The long hours, early mornings and Saturday meets would be sure to knock anyone down who is constantly working through injury and illness.

But not Sam.

Through it all, Sam remains steadfast in her efforts to improve, to run faster- heck, just to finish a season healthy is considered a success. In her senior year her personality has shown that it is the smiles she provides for others, her willingness to improve and her desire to remain a part of a team that makes her a true success story in our program.

Going the Distance ... Kasey Tippets

What do you do when you follow a successful older sibling? That's the dilemma a lot of kids have to face their whole lives, putting up with comments from teachers like, "oh, you're so-and-so's sister"  or "your brother was a great athlete" or "why can't you be more like your sister?"  Ok, maybe the last question doesn't get voiced very often, but I think you get my drift. Being the next in line isn't always what it may seem. 

Kasey Tippets had the task of following in Kelsi's footsteps, and despite Kelsi's diminutive size, she left big prints. Her cross country career was one that littered the record books.  For many, following such an example would cause them to find an even darker shadow to hide in, not wanting to be compared. For others, the best option is to go competely the opposite -- where "big brother" found success, "little brother" finds rebellion or apathy.

Kasey found the middle road and has smiled the whole way through. She was never driven to match her big sister's athletic accomplishments ... being a contributing member of the pack was more to her liking than leading the pack.  Kasey has cheerfully divided her time between running and soccer.  Her marks have been good enough to earn her a varsity letter each of the previous three seasons.  Through it all, she's kept her sense of humor, never taking herself too seriously, always one to quickly crack a joke or play a prank. We could always count on Kasey keeping things light and loose.  Whether it was at the race course or colliding with fire hydrants and tripping over cracks in the sidewalks in practice, laughter accompanied her almost every mile of the way.

Kasey will graduate having gone all four years, just like her big sis'.  But that's where the comparison ends.  She never tried to mimic or match her big sister, she just cheerfully went her own direction, making the path uniquely and successfully hers. 

Given the option many of the younger siblings in sports take, this one wasn't bad. 

Homecoming, 2010

Two of King XC's own, Carrie Soholt and Lane Werley were selected to be part of the 2010 Homecoming court! It was a fun night, Carrie was crowned "Princess".  Here are are few images from the night.

Going the Distance ... Rafael "Rafi" Perez

No one calls him Rafael, nor do I remember anyone calling him anything other than “Rafi.” Since his freshman year he has always shown a commitment to pushing himself as hard and as far as he can possibly achieve.


If King Cross Country has one member that embodies the soul and spirit of everything we try to teach as coaches, it is easy to point out Rafi. Even before this year when we as coaches decided to use the words and wisdom of John Wooden as to inspire our team, Rafi led by example. He clearly sees himself as a teacher, always encouraging others to forgo negativity and do their best. He himself admits that he smiles even when he is sad or depressed as he feels it is his purpose on earth to inspire others, to shine a light in a world that often only sees the negative, and to live life with integrity. At a race or in practice, Rafi is always positive, always pushing himself and other team members to have confidence in themselves.

Integrity is not just a word to Rafi, but a way of living out his faith and serving others. As his senior year comes to an end, it is clear that he his contribution to the team is more than just being a good runner. He has poured out his spirit for the team and shown a determination to be a leader. As he finishes the race next week, he can say that he has kept the faith and has earned the admiration of his team.

Wooden's Secret of Success - Confidence

It’s interesting how we use this word so indispensably when we speak of competing. We tend to just easily throw out the expression, “Just be confident in yourself.” Like with poise, confidence cannot be forced into our lives. It is something we must learn and earn naturally- through experience. We also cannot have confidence if the rest of our blocks are not put into place. Without the building blocks of Wooden's Pyramid of Success, it is impossible to be confident in ourselves if we aren’t confident with our teammates. Our teammates cannot show confidence if they don’t trust themselves.

Confidence seems to be obtained through preparation. By preparing ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally and trusting ourselves and our teammates, we can achieve confidence. It’s not an action; it’s a state of being. It’s natural and it’s simple when all else is put into place.

Similar to poise, you can almost sense when someone is confident. They have a strong presence, they are clear in their choice of words; their focus is intent on achieving success. Often we can mistake confidence for selfish or egotistical behavior. This is not really the case. You are not egotistical by showing you are confident and by feeling important. It is when you think you are too important and too indispensible to the rest of the team where arrogance comes into play. Arrogance is a weakness and Wooden would not tolerate it and neither do we.

It is also often true that we are confident in some situations but not in others. To achieve confidence as part of our natural existence, we must be able to remove all insecurities and develop a sense of faith and trust in ourselves and others in all situations.
How can we work on this?

The “Personal Victory Exercise”, of course! In times of shaken confidence and negative emotions, we must go back to this practice to create the emotions that bring about the most positive, uplifting times of our lives!

Step 1

Write a brief description of five to ten of your greatest personal victories- experiences when you felt you were at your very best. Beside each description list three or four emotionally charged words that best express your feelings about personal victory.

Step 2

Create your own personal victory “anchor” ritual. Make a unique visual, auditory, and kinesthetic movement. Like smiling and rubbing your hands together and saying, “Now” or “Yes!” or the sun is shining, and you say “Go”.

Step 3

Go back to each personal victory description and visualize the event as if it were happening right now. Feel the same emotions, breathe the same, and adopt the same physiology. Fully associate the experience! When you feel your emotions surge, fire your personal victory anchor. Repeat it.

Step 4

Meet with a friend and share your personal victories with this person. Before you begin, show your personal victory anchor. When your friend sees you becoming fully associated to your personal victories, he or she can help you get back to it or remind you of what you are capable of when you are full of self-doubt later.

Step 5

Try firing your personal victory anchor when you’re in a neutral state of mind and notice the emotional impact.

Step 6

Add at least one personal victory to your list each day for thirty days! Use this and your anchor to buoy your confidence in situations where you previously doubted yourself.

Coach Wooden believed we cannot rely on “emotional peaks” in our life to help us achieve confidence. We must remain calm in our efforts to achieve greatness. We must always be willing to improve. We must always show effort (not perfection) to work toward consistent confidence.

Wooden was unwavering in what he knew to be right. A quiet confidence with unshakable faith in knowing what you are doing is right and good while remaining humble makes us a success.

Written by Leisha Clendenen

Going the Distance ... Ben Huscher

Doing any sport for four years at the high school level is an accomplishment, but doing four years of cross country is a challenge that requires that rare gift of self control and discipline. Every runner has doubts at the line as to how the race will finish. Can I make it to the end, or will I give up?




Ben Huscher had a head start: his older brother ran for King, and so he joined the team in 2007 as a wide-eyed rookie. Even with that head start, Ben will be the first to admit that he was not very fast his first year, nor very committed to running. His first year ended mid-year with an injury having never run under 21 minutes. His sophomore year he showed tremendous improvement, improving almost four minutes, but at times he lacked self control and let his emotions get the better of him. As Coach John Wooden has written, emotions are the enemy when it comes to learning the lessons of leadership.

But just when you might have thought that Ben wouldn’t return his junior year, he showed up and slowly started to commit to the sport. By the time he reached this senior year it was hard not to see that Ben had learned many of those lessons and was climbing the ladder of success as a runner. He showed a poise and loyalty to the team that just two years earlier seemed unlikely, and he had spent a hard summer preparing himself to be a varsity level runner.

And something else emerged from that often emotional young man: a smile. In the end, all coaches ever really want from their athletes is that they finish as a better person than when they first started the race. Ben has certainly done that, and King Cross Country is better as a result.

Going the Distance ... Aubrey Bowman

One of the things cross country runners learn early on in their careers, is that pain and suffering are the unavoidable yet difficult paths to success. While most people can run, few can run past or through the pain, maintaining a pace despite discomfort. While some are repelled by that realization and live the rest of their life avoiding running, some come to find the joy in that journey and achieve a success that only running can offer.

Such is true in life, too. Though we Americans do and invent everything we can to avoid suffering and discomfort at all cost, the masking tape we apply to life cracks in time and reveals in it's dusty residue the original truth that some of the greatest lessons in life are learned the hard way. Easy street isn't necessarily the quickest route to growth.

Aubrey Bowman knows of which I write ... or at least I think she does. She's in the midst of a season of suffering, bent like a tree in a hurricane. The force of injury pushes and howls. The roots of her resolve dig deeply straining to hold the soil of what she knows. Having competed at State just a year ago, she now watches her teammates from the sidelines; a fissured bone shackles her there.

And yet, like a professor who revisits the lessons of kindergarten, Aubrey seems to be reclaiming anew what she learned so long ago. Like a runner who first discovers that pain need not be a barrier, she is pressing on through this wall, seeking ways to contribute, to maintain the pace of life, to keep on keepin' on regardless of how it feels. In a sea of despair, she's found a way to set sail.

In the end, most runners come to find that the place one finishes is not nearly as important as the finishing. The journey ... through the exhiliration and the struggle ... is what matters most.  Quickly, the grimace reverses to a grin.   Aubrey realized early in her running -- and she is realizing again -- that pain need not steal her joy; that affliction can be eclipsed by a greater glory, and that one can contribute to the goodness of community regardless of their circumstances. 

Going the Distance ... Lane Werley

We never saw this coming. This, meaning, Lane's status as one of the best runners in the country.  While many of Lane's achievements are the stuff of legend, the signposts leading to such status were deeply hidden in the weeds back when Lane first laced on his running shoes.

As a basketball and baseball player, Lane's cross country intentions as a freshman were to get in shape for his main loves. He had a good 9th grade season, good enough to get a little attention as someone who might have a future in the sport. He ended up not going out for basketball, but did play frosh baseball that year, skipping a first go at track.

As a sophomore he had quietly become King's number one runner and started running times (like breaking the school record) that perhaps indicated some good things were in store should he pursue his talent. Earlier estimations of just a "decent" running career were in the process of being discredited.

It was during his junior year that Lane would rocket from "good" to, well, "incredible."  What a year he had ... it had the makings of a Hollywood tale, full of drama, surprise and achievement. He went from a kid who couldn't make it out of League Finals in track as a soph, to a junior who couldn't be kept out of State ... or Nike Nationals.  He missiled the year, a tower of flame lighting up the sky.  It was a deafening year that ended with an All-American title in the 5000 meters.

And yet, he has remained grounded. What so many folks who know Lane will attest to, despite his stratospheric orbit (Currently ranked in the top 10 nationally and in the top 3 in California), he has not let the acclaim and high-accomplishment go to his head.   He eschews attention like a bat does light. He has remained steadfastly "just one of the guys". With college coaches courting him aggressively, he has not flashed his recruiting badges like some cheap watch peddler in a trench coat. Instead, he's redoubled his efforts in the classroom; prepping for the academic load that's to come with the athletic grant. As his circle of friends has now grown to include the State's elite, he remains the consumate team player, equally motivated to see his buddies in the King jersey do just as well.

In an age of athletic self-promotion, where superstars usurp ESPN just to let the world know which team will now be paying them millions for shooting baskets; where  touchdown celebrations cross the line of sportsmanship and "team spirit" is destroyed 140 twittered characters at a time, Lane has blessed us all with a grace and grit, persistence and poise, greatness and goodness. Flying high, he's still tethered to home.  Of all his accomplishments, this may be his greatest legacy.

Though we never saw this coming, we could not have asked for more.

Going the Distance ... Carrie Soholt

Which would you rather have? The mountain top or the valley? For many in life, we spend our time climbing mountains, looking for that proverbial "high", the experience that comes to only the few. Valleys are filled with shadows, and the famous 23rd Psalm describes them in the same sentence as death. Who'd want to dwell in the lowlands when the view from the top is so much grander?

Carrie Soholt knows of both habitations, but what makes her experience in four years of running interesting is that her story began on the mountain top. Like only a few before her, she literally burst on the distance running scene. She was varsity right out of the gate.

Though her frosh season was interrupted by four broken toes, (You read that right, it's 4, as in almost all five on the same foot!) she still managed to finish her season with dignity at CIF Finals. She then headed into track and proceeded to set the school record in the 800 meters.  She backed that up with a school record the next Fall in XC as a sophomore. But three days after that peak, a storm front of injuries rolled in and clouded the view from the top.

The hobbling seemed to never end. It was one, then another. Time ticked by and before she knew it, her mountain had melted into a valley.

What makes Carrie a remarkable young woman though is how she handled the shadows, the darkness that seemed to envelope her running. It was there in the shadowlands that she learned to appreciate anew her gift of running. She is quick to admit that going from the leader to one of the pack has taught her humility and grace. She has discovered the ironic truth that fruit grows in valleys, not on mountaintops.  The fruit ripening in her life has been a greater love, joy and peace; she's grown patience by the bushel. To those enduring the famines of injury, the harvest of her kindness toward them is bountiful.  It's an empathy born in her own hardships. Goodness, mercy and self control tattoo her life.  Through it all, she's remained faithful.

Even more remarkable is that she refused to allow the river of frustration to change her character with the eroding force of bitterness. She has remained so steadfastly positive and joyful despite the difficulties that one can only marvel at the depth of her integrity. An act of true generosity and sportsmanship she showed last track season was captured in the Press Enterprise as well as by CIF.  And while the public marveled at her "random act of kindness" those of us who know her saw nothng "random" about it, that was "Carrie being Carrie." 

While Carrie still aspires to ascend back to the mountaintop, she's now a seasoned runner and human being who has not allowed the altitude changes that come with living to rob her of her joy, her spirit, her generosity or her drive.  She presses on, cheerful in the climb, persistant and undeterred.

Could there be any better thing to say about a young person?

Wooden's Secret of Success - Poise

To reiterate, it took Wooden close to 15 years to create his Pyramid of Success. Because of this it is necessary to remember that each secret takes time to preview, process, practice and push forward.

As we near the apex of the Pyramid, we come to realize that the second to last tier is so hard to accomplish in all aspects of our lives. That, perhaps, is a good thing. If it were easy to achieve “Poise” and “Confidence” the pyramid might not even exist- we would seemingly achieve success without much effort.

When I think of people with Poise, I always think of someone who walks tall, has presence and knows what they want to accomplish. You can see it in his eyes. On the flip side, it is easy to recognize someone without it. There is a lack of discipline, work ethic and a constant look of concern, worry, or question.

Wooden believes that poise comes as a “natural result of the personal qualities that we put in place below (the blocks below).” His definition is simple: be yourself.

However, I think it needs to be clarified. Often times we accept negative or bad behavior as “just being you”. It’s similar to when we hear people justify their actions that produce negative outcomes as “hey, I’m just being me. If you don’t like it, leave.” But to be successful we need to understand that a negative outcome and deliberately trying to be negative, is not just being you, it is disastrous for our world, community, school and team. We should not accept negative behavior because it perpetuates the many wounds that so many people have worked hard to heal. In other words, if you hear a person put down a particular group or make degrading remarks to others, do you accept it as “just being themselves” or do you stand up to the negative, not letting it perpetuate?

Another way I look at poise is really asking yourself what your vision is? What are you trying to achieve? What do you focus on when in times of pressure? It goes back to all of our discussions from the past. If you constantly talk about “the negative” it will find you. It will haunt you. It will ring in your ears in times of stress. Showing poise means you are more worried about what you can DO for your team, your friends, your family, rather than what they can do for you. This holds true in all aspects of life. Relationships, friendships, partnerships can not survive if you put yourself first. You must ask yourself what you can do for the other person rather than what they do for you. You aren’t worried about always being right. You learn to be comfortable with yourself and be at ease in any situation not matter how difficult.

Poise shows that you can stand up for what is right while you know that your convictions, values, beliefs and qualities are what is best for team and yourself. You are working toward the ultimate goal of being the best that you can be. Poise is not something you pursue; it is something that you embody each and every day. You or others may see you as a leader, but you aren’t a leader if you don’t have poise: you don’t trust yourself. You don’t worry about controlling others- your actions and words are inspiring. At the same time, you learn confidence. You learn that through your natural actions and beliefs, you do not need approval from others. By not needing approval or worrying about other people’s expectations, you remove yourself away from fear controlling your life. When you remove yourself from fear, you achieve confidence, the next secret to success.

To be clear, each box is specifically placed. Look at the entire left side of the pyramid. See how they are all connected. What sort of pattern do you recognize? How are they building blocks on each other?

Please email me (leishaclendenen@yahoo.com)  your thoughts on this next block. It is so important to talk about it and share.

For all of you who willingly (without being forced to in Coach Peters’ classroom) wrote to me regarding team spirit, I was honored to respond to you. For the rest of you, you aren’t there yet.

You can not achieve poise without team spirit.

Written by Leisha Clendenen

Wooden's Secret of Success - Team Spirit

This week we asked the athletes to write what they do to contribute to "Team Spirit" one of the top blocks of Wooden's Pyramide of Success. Here is what many wrote

"This season I haven't contributed very much team spirit, but I've noticed that Carrie Soholt always cheers everyone on to do their best, even if she's not feeling good, and I want to be like Carrie."

I contrubute team sprirt to our team by, encouraging people on our hard days, they arent easy and sometimes a little "keep going" will make someone finsh a workout!:)

Taylar Amiot
With ones ability to encourage one another, can lead to overall success for each and everyone. -- Kaelyn Manning

When other races are going on I try to go around the course and cheer our team on, right now I am working on taking initiative and trying to do things without having to be asked first around our tents. -- Ryan Gibeault

I contribute to the team by leading by example.. Chris Miller

“As being one of the leaders of the team, I try to radiate a positive mindset without coming off as being prideful. My hope is to make everyone work harder, run faster, and help newcomers to the team feel like they are apart of this wonderful team and family of KXC. That is my team spirit." Lane Werley

I can show my team spirit by just talking to everyone else on the team and genuinely asking them how their practices, races, the season, and injuries are going for them and by being supportive and encouraging in both their accomplishments and trials. --Claire Bradford

To increase team spirit, I always try to cheer for and encourage all my teammates at races. --Kimberli Graham

"Most teams don't do the whole 'team bonding' thing. They only know each other during practice/game/match/meet. Our team goes the extra mile, literally and figuratively, to befriend our teammates. Spaghetti dinner shows how we genuinely care about one another and bond as friends. Plus, we runners never miss a good meal." -- Joey Tompkins

"One of the ways I show team spirit is by cheering for my team mates to do their best." - lauren soholt

"Every day, i go to practice with a positive outlook and excitement, for i know that I am contributing to something bigger than me. I'm contributing to a team."  -Ryan Rasmussen

Team Spirit is letting your teammate borrow your watch when your not using it, it's showing up to practice and recording times for a hard-workout when you can't run and you could be at home in the air-conditioning! Team spirit is bringing noise-makers to races and taking your teammates' sweats at the starting line before their race . . . . . Emma

“I have made team spirit happen by telling some of the cross-country runners they did a good job on their workout and that they are improving.”-Mireya Ascencio

I help contribute to team spirit by cheering my teammates on at the races. Aubrey Kent

I try to outwardly display the lessons I've learned over my 4 years of running, consistency, positive attitude, diligence, the importance of team work and listening to the coaches. Members of any team need to know whats expected/ desired of them and I find that the best way to help my team mates is to be an example myself. – Chris Miller

You are always cheering for me so I will always cheer for you!- Jessie
I show team spirit by always having a positive attitude no matter what - Cayla Kim
My team spirit is through friendships. Im always willing to halp out a teammate with whatever they may need.- Courtney Girard

With the inspiration part i wish i could talk to more than just one person and a whole group about things but the truth is everyone is different so i try to help one at a time. When I'm walking with someone when we are at a meet and they happen to say a negative comment about their racing i always talk to them by telling them you can run as fast as you think you can and elaborate on that telling them that if they want to go sub 17 and they are running a 17 30 i always tell them that they work to hard to come off short. i often try to give them a strategy on how to tackle the race, when they tell me "I'm not going to be top JV or Varsity or make it to Mammoth or make it to Clovis because him/her is in front of me" i tell them well if your complaining about going obviously you wish you could go and then i tell them well stop wishing and beat them work harder than them do something where your no longer moping but achieving something you worked for. every time i talk to someone on the team i always bring up a poem by Marianne Williamson and here it is:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.


Our deepest fear in that we are powerful beyond measure.


It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.


We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?


Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World.


There is nothing enlightening about shrinking


so that other people won’t feel unsure around you.


We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.


It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.


As we let our own Light shine,


we consciously give other people permission to do the same.


As we are liberated from our own fear,


our presence automatically liberates others."
I always base it off of that poem because it is absolutely true.I like to see the word integrity as acting the same way when everybody is watching and when nobody is around also as to be the same with everyone. I'm still working on being a better model for integrity but it is contagious to others when they see me pick up trash that isn't mine. Today actually someone drop three dollars in the lunch line and i walked up and told him he dropped his money before anyone could steal it. sure i didn't know the guy but i would do the same for a friend why not a stranger. I really feel bad when i miss my chance to show my integrity but from what i am taught being guilty is good because it helps you correct the mistake later. just like my inspirational talks with individuals ill do it with anybody if they are willing to listen and come to me or just be around me and i catch a chance to. I do make a lot of sacrifices for my teammates i always try to help someone on our team while i am busy whether it be something as small as a ride way out of my way or for favors on school help or paying for lunch even though I'm very short on cash ( I don't know why i tell them not to pay me back and yet they still do).

Finally the smile a lot of people don't really catch me not smiling and its true i smile even when I'm really sad over something only because i see their is no use in having a frown over something sad because it doesn't fix anything it only brings people down around us but its the same with a smile its contagious when one smiles the other can help but to at least smirk. Even when i am the butt of every joke it doesn't really matter to me but ill still smile even if it doesn't happen to hurt a bit but that's rarely its really hard to get me too feel sad over a joke or what someone says. Some say its a sacrifice to smile even when I'm sad but it really isn't in my point of view because i see frowns as something that are face muscles shouldn't allow. All i know God put me on this Earth for a purpose and i think its to inspire and make people happy it took me years of Catholic classes but i figured it out and im inspiring kids in my church by telling them my 180 of a turn around in my faith and i inspire those on my team but letting them know what they can achieve and how it is limitless. but finally keeping a smile to let those around me know that if i can shine my light so can they. thats all i got to say about that. I'm glad you had us write you something on what we contribute. –Rafi Perez

"I seek out the opportunity to motivate or encourage others instead of sitting back and not taking initiative." - Brandon Berz

what I do for team spirit is cheer on others, attend ever night out the girls have but I also feel like I could do more and the people who inspire me to do that are Baleigh,Carrie,Raelyn,Lauren,Emma,Taylar,and Cayla. -Ali Clayton

I show team spirit through participating and helping plan girls days and always encouraging others and letting my teammates know that if they need anything I am always here. And standing along side the course cheering for each and everyone of them. - Samantha Enriquez

"Every day, i go to practice with a positive outlook and excitement, for i know that I am contributing to something bigger than me. I'm contributing to a team." -Ryan Rasmussen

“I have made team spirit happen by telling some of the cross-country runners they did a good job on their workout and that they are improving.”-Mireya Ascencio

Team Spirit is letting your teammate borrow your watch when your not using it, it's showing up to practice and recording times for a hard-workout when you can't run and you could be at home in the air-conditioning! Team spirit is bringing noise-makers to races and taking your teammates' sweats at the starting line before their race . . . . . Emma

As an individual I show team spirit by cheering everyone on, I love being there at the start line, giving them a good job along the way and waiting there at the finish for EVERYONE to finish. - Morgan Sherman

I believe that I show team spirit by showing others how to do specific exercises for their injuries and giving them my advise on how to endure injury seasons. I want them to get better quickly because I truly understand what it is like to be injured.- Carrie Soholt

I help contribute to our team spirit by offering advice to the rookies and underclassmen and also by encouraging my teammates to own me in races."- Ethan McAbee

"I feel my way of showing team spirit is by getting to know all my teammates, especially the new runners, and encouraging them as we get to know eachother, also lettign them know i'm there for them on and off the course"- Raelyn Werley

i think i show team spirit by desiring whats best for the team and trying to always be there for them whether its trying to bring us together by having an ice cream party or asking someone how there run was/is going, i always try to be encouraging. I think our team does that well and its easy to encourage our team because we have a lot of positive attitudes. – Aubrey Bowman

"One of the ways I show team spirit is by cheering for my team mates to do their best."- lauren soholt
I believe that I show team spirit by showing others how to do specific exercises for their injuries and giving them my advise on how to endure injury seasons. I want them to get better quickly because I truly understand what it is like to be injured.- Carrie Soholt

To contribute to team spirit on KXC, I try my hardest to put my own complaints/injuries/problems behind me and focus more on helping others gain a more positive attitude. –Lori Dajose
What I thought team spirit was to me was not only encouraging others to run harder, but to be dedicated to the sport and do whatever it takes to do your best. – Tim Pungaew

Going the Distance ... Hanna Peterson

There are a number of words that one could use to describe Hanna's four years of running. The one that I'll settle on is, "amazing."

You really have to have the big picture to understand the appropriateness of that word. You have to see the bookends that are making her story read like a page-turning novel.

Like many 9th graders, Hanna tip-toed into running, much like one tests the waters of a cold pool before jumping in. She took her time, didn't push, didn't jump, didn't submerge herself during those first months. In fact, it was at the pool during the CIF season of 2007 that we first heard of Hanna's new resolve. Literally and figuratively she was going to dive in. With the league season over, that year's CIF squad was doing a low-impact water workout after school and Hanna sauntered into the pool complex at King.  She asked what the group was doing and after getting a brief explanation, she said resolutely, "That's going to be me next year."

If one had doubted the proclamation, it would not have been out of line. You see, Hanna finished no where near the varsity level that season. She was fully a frosh-soph runner without marks in racing nor training that would indicate in one short year she'd be toeing the line at CIF Finals.

But when Hanna makes up her mind about something, get out of the way. In one calendar, she did a full-180 in her running and like an Olympic diver she made the leap, head first.  That next year, she was at the line of CIF Finals, just like she had promised.

She commited herself to training in the offseason and despite a few injury setbacks, she was undeterred and steadily began her rise to stardom. Her sophomore year, even after spending much of the summer in a StarWars-like boot for a stress fracture, she made the varsity team and did pool workouts in November with the CIF squad. She began to really shine in track her sophomore year.

And then came her junior year. Oh my. Like a rocket she ascended. Week after week, she got better ... and better. Her November was the stuff of fairy tales and the dimunitive and determined runner emerged as King's #1 and helped carry the team to it's highest finish ever at CIF Finals and then on into State. Her track season was punctuated with a CIF Finals berth in the 3200 meters in which she proceeded to set the school record of 10:55.  The girl who could run a 1600 meters her freshman year in 5:28 can now do two of them, back to back, in that exact time.

The other bookend is now getting made. She's a highly recruited runner from schools ranging from San Francisco to the University of Arizona in Tucson. She's one of the fastest ever in 30 years to race across the Mt.Carmel course.  It's simply a marvel to watch her set state and national aspirations, take care of herself, plan for the future and work hard toward her goals.

From what she was to what she is ... well, there's only one word. Amazing!