Home meet: Thanks

Just getting back home after a wonderful morning at Vassar Farm for our "home" meet and senior day. We got what we want accomplished for our first meet -- shaking off the rust, putting up some solid performances, finding out how much work we have to do, etc. A relative newcomer to the area and to our program, marveling at the friends and family and the beautiful surrounding of the Vassar Farm property, asked me "how do you do it?" ... meaning, having a program without on campus facilities. As I ponder that question now, the answer is a line from an old Beatles song: We get by with a little help from our friends. Only. It's not a little. It's a lot. So now, on that theme, I would like to offer grateful thanks to the following folks who allow us to have a great day for our athletes at "home" ...

1. Vassar College and its XC/track staff -- specifically head coaches James McCowan and Justin Harris. Today, Jut was our on-site manager. His early-morning presence put me immediately at ease, despite his sleepiness. He set up the course, got a few course marshals out there and generally took charge of a course and a property that is not our own. It makes "hosting" a meet a piece of cake. I say it often but I cannot say it often enough: We are not what we are without the help and cooperation from our friends at Vassar.
2. Speaking of piece of cake ... and food ... and all other things good: Thanks to Kathy and Chris Gould for "coming out of retirement" to commandeer the team tailgate. With a new wave of parents and families, hopefully this fine tradition will continue. Thanks to the Goulds for continuing it on a day in which they didn't have to. They are and will always be a cornerstone family in our program.
3. Marist athletics administration -- facilities coordinator Darren McCormack was there a little after dawn with me, setting up tables and tents. Head trainer Jeff Carter was there, as was are SID staff (Andy Alongi, Sam Rathbun, Nick McGahan) who orchestrated a perfect Senior Day. And of course, AD Tim Murray and SWA Liz Donohue continue to provide a strong yet calming presence atop our department.
4. Father Richard LaMorte is a friend to our program and a friend to us all, and it was great for him to be there for us today.
5. A special thank you and welcome to our new College President, David Yellen, and his wife, Leslie Richards-Yellen, for their presence at the meet. Although he is still very new to our school, having officially taken office on July 1, President Yellen seems to feel right at home here at Marist; we are glad to have him at Marist, and we were honored to have him at our meet.
6. Thanks to Tim Fulton of Fulton Accurate Timing (FAT) for scoring the meet quickly and efficiently.
7. Thanks to Terry Horton, Ken Kraft and the other Dutchess County officials who made the meet go smoothly as well.
8. Lastly and most importantly: Thanks to all the parents and family members. Without you, there is no team. With you, our track/XC family continues to grow each and every year. For the new families, we're happy to have you; for the returning families, we're happy to have you back.

OK. I will post results and other comments later. For those of you firmly entrenched in the 21st Century, you've probably already seen the results via Twitter or elsewhere. It was a good day. On the course and off.