Neuqua Valley Men's Cross Country

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2000 Season

· 53 men started the season with 47 receiving awards

· 41 men participated in the summer running program

· 24 men went to the summer cross country camp in Oregon, Illinois. We were joined by 14 WVHS members, had Al Carius, head coach at North Central as our guest speaker, and took a charter bus.

· Practice was held 4x a week during the summer.

· First place at the Hornet Red Devil Invitational – sophomore level

· Two men broke 15:40 for three miles

· Four men broke 16:00 for three miles

· Twelve men broke 17:00 for three miles

· Two awesome managers – seniors Shelly Zachara and Brad Rothman

· Conference champions at frosh/soph and varsity levels

· 4^th place at the IHSA regional meet

· 6^th place at the IHSA sectional meet – 16 pts. out of 5^th.

· First state qualifier – Jeff Goode, 15^th place at the IHSA sectional meet.

· First state finisher – Jeff Goode, 114^th place (15:51) at the IHSA state meet.

Memorable Moments

1. Lee Mills, during a repeat 400 workout, after Coach Vandersteen lets him know how proud he is of his toughness, “Well, I figured if I could handle Ben Barron hitting me on the head with a steel chair last night, I could handle this.”

2. Team runs 16 400’s in the wet-muck the first Tuesday of summer practice.

3. Coach Dickerson takes the first group out on a 9 mile run only to get everyone “lost”. Everyone ends up running 11 miles instead.

4. Caleb Dodson does 300 situps and cannot walk afterwards, complaining of a leg injury. Go figure?

5. Coach Vandersteen agonizes over the decision to put Matt Bailey on the cover of the pre-season booklet. It is the only good picture he has.

6. Repeat 400’s on the morning of July 4^th. Great participation on a holiday. A sign this team wants to be good.

7. Repeat 1200’s with the Dukes of York on July 20^th.

8. Lee Mills and Ben Barron are caught with shaving crème, glow-in-the-dark silly string, toilet paper, and duct tape? at camp. Each does 175 pushups for their intended misbehavior.

9. John Kulp blurts out the F word at camp – he does 50 pushups to remind him of the use of proper language.

10. Bus driver tells coach Vandersteen he does not care for the accommodations at camp. Coach Vandersteen gets him a room at the Paddle Inn across the river.

11. Coach Vandersteen telling the college student behind the desk he wants to see the manager after hearing the price on the room for the bus driver. The college student replies, “he is busy at the moment.” Coach Vandersteen in turn says, “I will wait until he is un-busy.” A better price was negotiated after the manager was all of a sudden “un-busy.”

12. John Trendell, after observing a swimming pool next to a farm house, “I don’t think farmers should have swimming pools.” Coach Dickerson replies, “Why not?” John says, “they should be farming.”

13. Jeff Goode and Nancy White’s bizarre relationship.

14. Matt Bailey and Chris Andonian both fall during the trail run at the beginning of camp. They both scrape their backs after rolling to break their fall.

15. Our best Led Zepplin hill workout ever! Coach Dickerson sets new record of 1:24 up the hill.

16. Our best tempo run ever at the conclusion of camp!

17. Coach Wolak telling the team how much he appreciated us inviting him and the 14 WVHS men to the camp.

18. Ordering 6 pizzas on the Tuesday night of camp.

19. The exploding pop from the bonfire hitting Patrick Cento in the face (coach Vandersteen decides at this moment to go bowling the following year).

20. Spades!

21. John Kulp hits five three pointers in a row playing basketball.

22. “Stay out of the crick”

23. Jeff Goode beating John Kulp to a pulp after he would not shut-up when it was bedtime.

24. Coach Carius and his inspirational speech to the men at camp.

25. The varsity men explaining why they run.

26. The shaving crème attack from Nancy White and Liv Fortin.

27. Paintballing! Coach Vandersteen plays for the first time.

28. Coach Dickerson capturing the flag in paintballing and not realizing he has to return it the home base. He yells, “I got it!” and is pelted by paintballs.

29. Coach Dickerson hits future all-state runner Sarah Radostits in the head with a paintball.

30. The traditional “copy my dive” at the Nash recreation center.

31. Coach Vandersteen telling the bus driver to watch Matt Bailey dive off the board at the recreation center. Bus driver replies, “Who is this Bailey guy? All I hear is Bailey this and Bailey that.”

32. Don Volkey’s visit to the camp and his stories.

33. The nature walk conducted by coach Vandersteen White Pines State Park.

34. The release of a raccoon trapped in a trash can at White Pines State Park.

35. The big fire built at camp and the attempt to put it out with no containers to hold water.

36. First day of practice with over 20 freshman and 50 guys.

37. Nick Vujovic gets stung by a bee on the lower lip. It swells to “4x its normal size” according to coach Dickerson.

38. Nick David gets bit by a dog while running on a sidewalk near the high school. Owners of the dog walk away!

39. The mutant goat that said “Whatssssssssss up?” at Phillips Park.

40. The great picnic after the Peoria meet – thank you parents!!!

41. The run in the cold rain at the end of September. Coach Vandersteen and the varsity run 6 miles in the rain (54 degrees) without shirts on.

42. John Micklos falls off the sidewalk while running to Ashbury Park.

43. The run-a-thon on the last Saturday in August. Our most successful ever!

44. Darren Orange knocks off a mailbox during a run in White Eagle. After having to be convinced to stop running he returns and gently places it back on the post.

45. Paul and Greg abandon the Ashbury path to do flips on a neighbor’s rusty trampoline only to have all the springs break and go flying in the air.

46. Evan’s baseball cuisine and herbal shake shows up at mile one in the second meet of the year.

47. At Phillips park, Matt falls to the ground at the start. Upon returning to Phillips park for another meet, Dave W. gets impaled by a flag.

48. Nick Dunn runs in stealth mode at Hornet/Red Devil Invitational. After realizing that they missed his 13^th place finish, the Sophomores go from 5^th to First Place.

49. Rob Long is asked by coach Vandersteen why he is not dating a particular young lady anymore. He replies, “I don’t have time for her. I am too busy for a girlfriend.”

50. The Saturday trip to Randall Oaks park in St. Charles to learn the course. The varsity run the course three times – it pays off two weeks later.

51. Winning conference at both levels!!!!!

52. Coach Vandersteen partially dodges the water jug meant for the top of his head.

53. We qualify as a team for sectionals for the first time in our history.

54. We finish 6^th as a team at sectionals and barely miss a trip to Peoria.

55. Jeff Goode runs the race of his career at sectionals – all with his nose bleeding the entire way!

56. Matt Bailey, Nick Dunn, Dave Walczak, and Evan Roberts plead with Mr. Dunn to go buy them a basketball while at the hotel in Peoria.

57. The beautiful day at the state meet and the support provided to Jeff by his teammates, parents, and members of the girls team .

58. The mile time trials on the track for guys no longer competing. Several men run under 5:00 or very close to it. Just two years ago, we had no one break 5:00 for this timed mile on the track!

59. Dave Walczak, Matt Bailey, and Coach Dickerson run the trails/hills of Detweiller at the state meet. Coach D almost falls down a hill.

60. The Arctic Freeze at the Blackhawk Stampede. Some runners “forget” to cool down.

61. The “heater” on the bus on the way home from Peoria. Everybody is glad to return home.

62. Evan Roberts and Jeff Goode’s customary “stop” on the way to DuPage River Park to do a workout.

63. 15-20 athletes show up to support Coach Dickerson and “The Storm” at an all comers meet at DuPage River Park.

64. Brad Rothman drives 70 minutes to Rich East for the sectional meet. After he gets there he asks coach Vandersteen when the race starts. Coach Vandersteen says, “12:45”. Brad says, “I have to be in Naperville at 12:45.” He stays 5 minutes longer and has to drive back home.