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| Captain Joey Annand Leads From the Gun to the Finish |
Congrats to Joey Annand who stayed undefeated on the season taking first place against Hopkinton at home today.
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Junior Katie Bradley Takes the Girls Race
Katie Bradley also won her race today 11 seconds over second place Hopkinton runner Isabella Giordano.
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The girls lost 43-20 today, while the boys unfortunately had to take a disqualification forfeit.
We all make mistakes, and I can tell you confidently, that I will learn from this one. The following is a letter I sent to the league coaches in regards to today's meet:
"I took both Hop girls and boys on a tour of the course today, per usual. I explained the first two loops on the track and gravel, then jogged and explained the outer two loops of the course. When I brought the teams back into the track area, I have no explanation for what happened next. I told them they were to do the gravel the opposite way and then come back into the track and do the last 200 meters on the track. Maybe when I was talking so much I just got into the groove I used to with a stream of consciousness and I just explained the OLD COURSE that we had for years. I do not know why. It was a mistake. I think I explained the old course so many times for years and years that that file in my brain just opened and out it went.
On paper, it looks like the Norton boys 27-29, based on how they finished. However, the Hopkinton #1 runner (#2 overall behind Joey) had to get back onto the track after about 30 meters and still placed where he probably would have (in other words, Joey had him beat, and Austin was not going to catch him today). Then I was able to get to the end of baseball field, and with the help of the two Hop boys coaches, get the rest of the HOP runners right onto the track for the final 200 meter finish so none of them went the wrong way (they do NOT do the gravel again like we used to as I had told them in the course preview when I had that lapse in memory).
I could not, in good conscience, try to fight for the win. If I was the opposing coach, I would have been upset. Both their boys coaches handled the situation with incredible grace and class (Thank you so much for that Jenn). I always tell my students to walk around in someone else's shoes (Atticus Finch - TKAM). If I was their coach, I would want the coach who made the mistake to make it right. I did the best I could to make it right by apologizing to their team and coaches, self-imposing a disqualification, which disqualifies the team from the win. This will move the Norton boys to 2-1 on the season.
I apologize again to all of the Hopkinton staff again for my mistake. I have never made a mistake of this caliber in 25 seasons of coaching XC, Indoor Track, or Outdoor Track (don't get me wrong...I have made mistakes...just not one like this where I cost us a win/loss). All I can do is promise to try to be better in the future and not make this mistake again.
I am so sorry.
Now I just have to find a way to make this right to my team."
Knowing how hard these athletes train and work to get to the point they are, I cannot be sorry enough to my athletes for taking this win away from them. As I said to the league, I will work to be better and do everything I can for this team to achieve the success it has worked so hard for and deserves.
Norton XC stays home again next week to take on the MEDFIELD WARRIORS at 3:45.
