GREENVILLE – Greenville recognized its cross country teams showcasing the Green Wave high school and junior high runners Saturday morning in the Greenville City Park.
On hand to speak to the runners prior to the teams running the course for family and friends was Monroe, Michigan’s Todd Williams, a six time high school state title holder, a 10 time First Team All-American at the University of Tennessee and a two time USA Olympian.
“He was awesome,” Coach Stephanie Lind said of Williams. “He really did a good job showcasing for the kids what it takes to accomplish your goals and not being frustrated by failures.”
“A lot of times kids think they didn’t hit their mark, I didn’t hit my goal and they put in all this work. I like how he focused on work harder, keep going. That was important for the kids to hear and just the legacy that he left behind at his high school.”
“That is something here at Greenville we have been working on for a long time,” Lind added. “It’s neat for me when alumni who either run in college and come back and spend time with our kids, it was those kids four or five years ago that set up this program to where it is today and have left that legacy so it was neat to hear him say that same thing – the legacy that he left at his school.”
Coach Lind was pleased with those in attendance for their respect of distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think it is just common place, people know to stay within their own little family groups and social distance which is what we do,” Lind noted. “The kids just know they are getting their temperature checked, we need to have our masks on if we are close together.”
Coach Lind was pleased to showcase the Green Wave cross country teams and had advice for the runners prior to their showcase race.
“Unfortunately it has become our norm but it is making it easier for us,” said Lind. “I told the kids on the start line, let’s run this race today like it might be your only time to suit up in your uniform and have your families watch you because we can’t take anything for granted.
The annual Treaty City Invitational in the city park is the big event of the year for the Wave cross country program. The Invitational is scheduled for Saturday, September 5, 2020 with a 9 a.m. start time limited to high school teams only for the 2020 race.
