Service to others

Thanks to all members of the team who were instrumental in making this past week's busy recruiting schedule go smoothly. You guys are key to that effort, and I do not take it for granted.

A thought occurred to me on Friday afternoon, as I was sitting in my office talking to the awesome East Catholic recruits from CT (Vess's buddies): A huge part of the recruiting process, as a coach, is similar to being a salesman. You are selling the college as a whole and the running program specifically.

Now, I do not consider myself a natural "salesman." I don't think I'm too smooth or refined in my delivery. I don't dress as cool as Phil. My office is a mess. Worse yet, I say what's on my mind and I'm pretty much a straight shooter. Now, I'm not as uncensored as, say, HOPKINS or KEENAN (two St. Anthony's guys that I love dearly but whose wild and uncensored opinions sometimes rankle me). Anyway, a true salesman tells you what you want to hear and conveniently leaves out all the negative stuff. I don't do that. I'm incapable of doing that. It's why we don't have a lot of pole vaulters and hammer throwers on our team. I pretty much tell them: We have no place to practice and we have no specific coaches for your events.

Well, here was my thought: The "sales" part of recruiting is not hard for me at all. In fact, it's a piece of cake. That's because I truly believe in, and truly love, what I am selling. Marist College. Running Red Foxes. I've lived it for more than half my life. And the past generation or so of Running Red Foxes have been an absolute pleasure to coach. It gets better every year, and you guys keep improving upon it.

One of the cornerstone principles upon which the college and the Marist Brothers order was founded is something I believe very strongly in: SERVICE TO OTHERS. I try to live my life each day with that thought in mind. And it's one of the things I would like to instill in you guys.

It's why I was truly upset on that bus ride home from Albany back in October when ROLEK and KEENAN (yeah, him again) were jokingly goading some of the girls about what a sham "community service" is. Now, I know they were playing along to piss people off (something they are very good at, ha!). But still ...

And so, as finals approach and the holiday break is almost upon us, this long-winded post ends with the following reminder: PLEASE BRING DOWN ANY OLD SNEAKERS OR T-SHIRTS to my office, and I will see to it that they are donated to a country and to people that are in dire need of this gear. I have about 5 pairs of sneakers in my office currently heading overseas in a box somewhere. I'd love to add to that.

BRING THEM DOWN.

See you all at 6:30 a.m. for Monday practice. With freezing rain in the forecast, you can bet I'll be jogging laps in the gym.