Golden Eagles—
It has been great to see all of you with the Smiles on your faces from earning this TEAM Championship. This was a TEAM effort from the start to the finish. Every part of our TEAM was a part of this Championship. It is when we are able to put aside our differences and “Transcend” that great things come. This whole season starting back with the indoor season in January we have been talking about our theme of “Transcend” not just in our running, throwing, or jumping but in our lives. “Transcend” means to rise above, go beyond the limits of, to triumph over the negative or restrictive aspects of: overcome, to be beyond and above, to outstrip or outdo in some attribute, quality or power, and finally to rise above or extend notably beyond ordinary limits. You all have done this and earned that great reward of a State Championship and no one can take that from you. It is great to know that we have 70+ state champions on our TEAM.
(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 the State Championships, the fire truck rides, the parades, the fanfare, the assemblies, and the many, many congratulations, and the handshakes I have reflected much on this season and on the past three 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 third year school we are competing at the level that we are. (State Champions, Top 4 school in the state three years in a row, & doubling our point total on our girls TEAM in just one year and earning a top 8 finish.) We are above and beyond what the vast majority of the state is at and we are only in our 3rd year. But it is not just that, sure we could look at the back to back to back region championships in the boys TEAM and the 4th place finish in region on the girls TEAM, and the State Championship finish at state for the Boys TEAM and the 8th 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. Or what the past 3 years have been.
With reflection I wish to point out a little more of what this season has been. Of the 150 members on this TEAM (by the way that is 1 out of every 10 students at our school) there have been 150 different stories and lessons this season has taught. There have been PR’s set by every member of this TEAM. There was 1 State Record set by Skyler Porcaro in the Boys Javelin. There were 16 new school records set (* = school record mark) 300 Hurdles: Tarin Strosser 48.38, 400 Meters:Jensen Williams 56.69, 800 Meters:Sarah Hash 2:21.97,1600 Meters: Autumn Gibson 5:27.21, 3200 Meters: Regan Pond 11:52.85 ,Long Jump: Megan Elmont 17’ 5.5”, Javelin: Tarin Strosser 112’ 7.25”, 100 Meters:Cameron Carson 11.06, 800 Meters: Isaac Faux 1:56.67,1600 Meters: Isaac Faux 4:21.04, Discus: Skyler Porcaro 146’5” ,Javelin: Skyler Porcaro 198’10” (4A State Record), Shot Put: Zach Decker 49’ 2.5”,
4x800 Relay: B. Quintana, K. Thomson, B. Harris, S. Hash 10:05.68
Medley Relay: M. Elmont, C. Heyn, J. Williams, S. Hash 4:18.05
Medley Relay: D. Nelson, D. Barker, K. Muirbrook, P. Patey 3:32.83
There were 5 individual Region Champions this year, there was 5 individual state champions(Skyler Porcaro in Javelin, Dallin Nelson, Devin Barker, Kevin Muirbrook, and Paxton Patey in the Medley Relay*), there were seven top 3 finishers at state (Jensen Williams 400 meters*, Isaac Faux 800 meters, Cameron Carson 100 meters, Skyler Porcaro & Jake Varney in the Javelin, Tarin Strosser in the Javelin, The boys Medley Relay TEAM, There were 4 academic all state member of our TEAM (Jacob Carter, Skyler Porcaro, Bobbe Graham, and Cat McQueen), and 27 academic all region members of our TEAM, there are 6 members of our TEAM that participated as a part of TEAM Utah at the Great Southwest Track & Field Meet (Megan Elmont, Jake Varney, Paxton Patey, Skyler Porcaro, Isaac Faux, and Kevin Muirbrook). 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 second 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 3.55. 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. 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 Blakey 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. Thank you. 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 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 our Simplot experience and our goals and talks shared there. Also 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 a magical 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 Golden 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. Thank you for trying to “Transcend” in every aspect of your lives. 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 a magical third 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 Darrell J. 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. In your upcoming seasons remember that “You have seen what can be! Now go and make it so!” 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!
Monday June 25th is the start of our Cross Country practices that will be held Monday – Thursday during the summer. We meet at 7:30am at the high jump pits at MMHS. M-W 7:30am With Thursday nights as our TEAM runs the start time for the Thursday night runs varies. Our first night TEAM run will be on Thursday night June 28th 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
