Run like the wind

Recently while I was at the gym, I noticed a book a woman was reading titled "In memory of running". The woman was ironically on the treadmill running while reading the book and I thought to myself why did the author only have memories of running. What had happened in his life which left the simple act of running only a memory? Had it been a car accident, a disabling disease, or maybe the amputation of one of his limbs? After a bit of investigation, it turns out that the author could no longer run due to his unhealthy lifestyle and massive weight gain. I felt sorry for him that he could no longer run, and that one of life's simplest pleasures had escaped him. I thought for awhile about my current situation, and that for me running has also become only a memory.
I remember as a kid running down the halls of school. It was always fun because it was forbidden. It always seemed as though you could run faster in places where you were not supposed to run, at school, on pool decks or in the house. Watch any small child and their biggest thrill is from running as fast as they can. At baseball camps the 5 and 6 year olds love to run the bases for no other reason than to just run. The first sporting contest was probably two people in a simple foot race to the nearest tree. These thrills unfortunately for me are now just distant memories. Running and the feeling of the wind rushing through my hair are gone.
MD, (muscular dystrophy), has many different diagnosise. Most people are familiar with the disease through the Jerry Lewis telethon. They see "Jerry's kids" in wheel chairs with no ability to even walk. MD though comes in many forms. One form simply disables the person enough to rob them of the ability to run. It kills of the muscle and nerves in the lower leg, thus making even walking sometimes difficult. This is the form which has attacked me. It is really more of a nuisance than a problem, and I do not write this for sympathy, but instead to remind everyone of what they have. God has blessed me more than I could ever wish for. I teach in a school filled with kids which I love, I have three healthy happy kids who are all active and fit, and I am a respected and listened to baseball coach. My life is full and very good. But what I would give for one more 5 mile run.
Everyone needs to appreciate what they have. Health and the ability to do the small things are huge. Look at a beautiful sunset and ask a blind man if he would like to see it. Listen to a choir and ask a deaf man if he would like to hear the music. Ask a man in a wheel chair if he would mind parking in the back lot of the mall and walking to the stores. Appreciating the small things only happens after those things are lost.
To an athlete and a coach running is the essence of sport. Speed and quickness is what all games are based on. Take away the ability to run and a part of that athlete dies. An athlete who can not run is no longer an athlete. It is like a singer who loses his voice. Everything that they have lived for is now gone. Now that athlete can only watch others run. This is why I coach and push all students to play sports. The thrill to watch Chris Salazar run down the sidelines, or watch Jared nelson run the bases is important to me. Seeing Lindsey Nicolini kicking the soccer ball and racing after it, or watching my son Robby run during football practice is therapeutic. Seeing my daughter Brittney run down the sidelines with the football team and do a series of back handsprings makes me so proud. My time at the gym with my daughter Michaela is precious to me. Sports by themselves are not the most important things in life, but using the physical abilities which God gave each of us is. God gave everyone the ability to run because he wants you to run.
Run today. Run down the halls, across the football field, or even across the pool deck. Run the bases, run up the bleachers, or around the 3 mile loop at Memorial park. Run up the stairs, down the stairs or down the middle aisle at church. Where it says do not run...just run. God gave you the ability and he wants to see you run.

perserverance pays off

What in November looked like a lost cause turned out to be a huge encouragement to the Rosehill community last night. With just six available players, and one very patient coach, the Rosehill girls basketball team defeated the Woodlands Christian Academy last night. Led by a team high 13 points from sophomore Hannah Hewton, the Lady Eagles did themselves and their school proud by winning a district game with 4 sophomores, one freshman and one lone senior. The senior, Beth Briner played her final home game of her career, and amid the cheers of the Rosehill crowd played hard despite a severly injured leg. If all the athletes at Rosehill played with as much heart as Beth all of our programs would shine.
Sophomores Casey Sullivan, Gillian Harris,and Amanda Cooper played great defense and as usual freshman Kaitlyn Danielson was a presence in the paint.
Coach Krantz has served the girls well with his consistent patient teaching, and upbeat approach to basketball. Our girls program is in great hands as long as Coach Krantz is involved.
Praises are due to our girls basketball team for their willingness to stick with the program and work hard. They will only get better, and will soon be a team to deal with in TAPPS 2A