Peace Corps future

There are many rewarding aspects of coaching fine young men and women. The obvious rewards are when athletes have great race performances, break records, qualify for big meets or simply show tremendous progress in their training. Those are the tangible results of their fine efforts.

And then there are the subtle and surprising joys that somehow get sprung on you unexpectedly … like last week when I got the very exciting news via text message that graduating senior women’s team captain Jillian Corley was accepted to serve in the Peace Corps, starting later this year. Jillian will be assigned to South Africa and will be there the better part of two years.

To say I am thrilled, proud and awed of Jillian would be an understatement. I was aware that she was going for this application last summer, and I was also aware of how difficult it is to be selected to the Peace Corps these days.

Jill has always been a delightful anomaly among the “typical” college student in that she has a keen interest in current events, the environment and generally the world outside the bubble of the aforementioned “typical” college student’s existence. Knowing that she might be making a small difference and positive impact in the world outside of Marist after graduating … well, it makes this old guy smile.