What would it mean to bring a trophy home to CSHS? It would certainly mean a great deal to a lot of people who have worn the blue & gold and put in the sweat, tears and dirt, going back to Dave Gavin, the "golden" era of Graves & Hicks, on up through the current crop of guys. Sandburg XC has always been about a lot more than titles and trophies, it's been about character, but I think we'd all be lying if we said that a big hunk of hardware on display back at Sandburg wouldn't be some sort of validation for all the hard work and different degrees of success we've experienced over the years.
BUT... much more important than what a trophy might mean to any alum or current supporter of the program, is what a trophy would mean to YOU, the current group of runners and coaches. Simply put, you guys deserve it. You've put in the work, you've made the sacrifices and you've gone through the growth and evolution of a championship team. I'm very fortunate to know the character of your coaches and what they stand for. That they show up every day for the right reasons and that they care about their athletes as individuals and not just as runners. I'm also fortunate to have gotten to know some of the guys on the team, and to know your character and a little bit about what drives you as a team. You care about each other and you run for your teammates not for yourselves.
Lugging a trophy back from Peoria would be a win for the "good guys." It would mean that what you have worked for and committed yourself to -- the greatness to which you aspire -- would have been worth every second, every mile, every step, and every ache and pain. You deserve to know that that kind of commitment and dedication can -- and should -- pay off. Not only in building great character, but finding the success you deserve.
Wishing you guys all the best,
Jeremy