Golden Eagles –
When Kevin Muirbrook crossed the line on Saturday as our anchor of our 4x400 TEAM it brought to a close our second track & field season. (I am going to break from our normal “we” here and add some lines of personal note for this email/ post I hope you will forgive me for it) Since the end of that race I have reflected much on this season and on the past two years and it has led me to be humbled, proud, hopeful, inspired, and to shed many tears of joy. I have never been prouder of a TEAM than I have of this one.
When you really look at the big picture it is amazing for us to think that as a second year school we are competing at the level that we are. (Top 4 school in the state two years in a row, & tripling our point total on our girls TEAM in just one year.) We are above and beyond what the vast majority of the state is at and we are only in our 2nd year. But it is not just that, sure we could look at the back to back region championships in the boys TEAM and the 2nd place finish in region on the girls TEAM, and the 4th place finish at state for the Boys TEAM and the 12th place finish at state for the girls TEAM and say nice season. However that would only be scratching the surface with what really this season has been.
With reflection I wish to point out a little more of what this season has been. Of the 165 members on this TEAM (by the way that is 1 out of every 9 students at our school) there have been 165 different stories and lessons this season has taught. There have been PR’s set by every member of this TEAM. There were 16 new school records set (* = school record mark), there were 10 individual Region Champions this year, there was 1 individual state champion(Spencer Hanson 3200 meters*), there were five top 3 finishers at state (Jensen Williams 200 meters*, Lance Merrell High Jump, Spencer Hanson 3200 meters, girls 4x400 relay* Bingham, Elmont, Novak, Williams, and the boys Medley relay* Carson, Barker, Muirbook, Patey, and Hanson) , there were 16 members of our TEAM that scored at the state meet (top 8)( The above mentioned + Sondra Novak* and Nicole Hable in the Shot put, Skyler Porcaro in the Jav, Eddie Prothero in the 110’s*, Kevin Muirbrook in the 400, Spencer Hanson in the 1600, Hudson Sherianian in the discus, and ALL six of our relay TEAMs. Boys 4x100 relay Prothero, Barker, Muirbook, Carson Girls 4x100 relay* Heyn, Elmont, Weight, Williams, Girls Medley relay Heyn, Weight, Keliiliki, Schuring, Boys 4x400 relay Melling, Faux, Barker, Muirbook and Girls 4x400 Bingham, Elmont, Novak, Williams.) There was 1 academic all state member of our TEAM (Kori Carpenter), and 9 academic all region members of our TEAM, there are 6 members of our TEAM that were invited as a part of TEAM Utah to participate at the Great Southwest Track & Field Meet (Eddie Prothero, Lance Merrell, Spencer Hanson, Skyler Porcaro, Isaac Faux, and Jensen Williams). This season also our TEAM provided over 300 hours in community service for the Mapleton city & Spanish Fork city. We also helped to put on the first Special Ed track meet for all of the Special Ed students in Nebo District. By way of information the TEAM GPA is that of a 3.45. Members of our TEAM are giving back to their community in too many ways to mention here. Thank you & thank you to all of our parents for their support. Without them none of this would be possible.
I can never thank our coaching staff enough. They are amazing and care so much for all of you. It is truly humbling for me to be around. The time that they give from their families to work with amazing kids like you is a debt I can never repay. When you think that our staff has had in the past year, 2 kids born, 1 marriage, 2 kids go on missions, 2 start new jobs, 1 family member passing away, and all the other unmentionable family moments that have taken place during the past year, I personally am grateful that they would give up so much of their family time to coach as a part of our TEAM. Thank you Coaches; Kovatch, Barker, Boyack, Lake, Burtenshaw, Harris, Workman, and Brown thank you so much. Thank you also to all of your families and your spouse’s for allowing all of us to “share” you for a few hours each day. The lessons that they have taught all of us will stick with us for a lifetime. Thank you.
Now Golden Eagles I personally can’t thank all of you enough for all that you have given to our TEAM. I will never forget seeing our entire TEAM participating in the 4x400. That was so much fun to see & it was awesome to have a Maple Mountain “L” team compete in the 4x400. I will never forget the great throwers relays & seeing the distance vs. sprints 4x400. I will remember the pizza that you all earned after the throwers beat one 4x400 team. I will remember the root beer floats for practice & “The Remember the Titans” warm ups that you all do. I will always remember laughing so hard I cried on the bus and van rides and the stories that just never seem to end on those buses & van rides. I will never forget the times when I have talked with so many of you on a personal basis about life and also about track. I thank you for the trust you have given me. I have seen you all struggle and overcome so many things in life that I can’t help but be proud of you. I thank you for your friendship. I will never forget it. I will always remember the shakes after the indoor races and the memorable trip home from Simplot & the stories shared & the memories made there. I will always remember the “Lunch Bunch”. It is great to see so many of you eating in my classroom during lunch. You always bring a smile to my face. It is great to see the TEAM hanging out and supporting each other outside of the track itself. It has been a lot of fun to see how you all have become friends with everyone on your TEAM. The friendships you made this season will last a lifetime. It has been humbling to me to see so many of you grow up before my eyes. I can’t thank you enough for the great example all of you set for my son. KJ has grown up with you. He looks up to all of you more than you will ever know. Thank you for setting a great example for him. Thank you for an amazing season.
Now one final thought for this season: It is in the race of life that we really learn the lessons that are meant for us. In those moments when we are down and struggling, we really see what it is that we are made of and what it is that we can accomplish. Remember all that the race of life requires of us is that we run it! So Eagles keep on running! Keep on Running! And Keep on Running! Never let the moments of learning in this race of life pass you by and keep you down. This whole season has had numerous lessons for all of us, not just in track & field, but in life. Let us all remember these lessons and learn from them as we continue on in this race of life.
Thank you for giving us your very best. Thank you for going beyond your own expectations. It truly has been amazing to see & humbling to be a part of. I am honored to have been along for the ride with all of you. I am always amazed and inspired everyday by all of you. Thank you. It truly has been an amazing second season for Maple Mountain Track & Field. Never forget what you can accomplish when you put your whole mind and body into it. Keep "earning it" and you will be amazed at what the future will bring to you. The future is bright for all of you! Now go and get your mountain! Thank You Golden Eagles, Thank You!
I feel honored and humbled to be one of your coaches. With love, -- Coach Wyatt
Now some news and notes for everyone:
Now each of you need to take the much deserved time off from running. Take at least two weeks off and let your body & your minds heal. Than after that two week time come back ready for the work of the next year. Hit the weight room hard during this summer, put in the work so that you can reap the rewards later. For those of our track and field family who do different sports in the fall. We wish you the best of luck with your upcoming seasons & look forward to when you will rejoin us in the indoor season. For all of you who are not doing a sport in the fall we highly recommend that you come and be a part of our cross country family. Cross Country will only benefit you for track and will help you in more ways than you can imagine. Plus it is just so much fun!
Tomorrow Monday May 23rd is uniform check in. This is done in Coach Wyatt’s classroom C-108. We need you all to return your track & field and some of you your cross country uniforms so we can clear you from the fine list. You can do this before school, during lunch, or after school. Please get them in on Monday. Also if there are any flags still out there please turn those leftover flags back into Coach Wyatt and or the money for them into the finance office.
Also at 6:00pm is a sports information night for all who are participating in a sport next year at MMHS and need info about that sport. It will be in the gym and you can get a schedule of our XC season.
Tuesday May 24th at 6:00pm at the MMHS cafeteria is our Track & Field TEAM banquet. We as coaches are providing a BBQ for our TEAM and your families. Come and have some hamburgers and hotdogs care of your coaches. We do ask that if any of you are willing to bring side dishes or deserts to share with your TEAM to please do so. This would really help a lot. We have things that we need to give to each member of our TEAM so we ask that you all make every effort possible to come to this banquet. Please let us take the time to honor you. We are putting together a highlight reel of the season and ask that if any of you have pictures you wish to be in this, please get them to Coach Wyatt by midnight Monday night.
June 2nd – 4th Great Southwest Track Meet @ UNM Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saturday June 11th we are hosting a youth track club track meet with the other youth track clubs in the valley and could use help in putting on this meet. Please contact Coach Wyatt if you can help with this.
Monday June 27th is the start of our Cross Country practices that will be held Monday – Thursday during the summer. With Thursday nights as our TEAM runs. Our first night TEAM run will be on Thursday night June 30th as we will run the Bridal Vail falls run and we invite all of the “friends of the program” to join us for this fun run and the fun after.
Thanks for everything,
--The Coaches
