2022 Parkview HS XC Banquet - My "Coaches Awards" Speeches

For my “Coaches Awards” I wanted to select individuals I feel have the potential to be overlooked and undervalued. So, in keeping with that spirit of highlighting arguably underrated athletes, I chose one runner on the boys team and one runner on the girls team to receive this award. 

Andrew Ko

On the boys side, I felt compelled to shine the spotlight on someone not necessarily defined by his race-day performances, but rather characterized by an unmatched willingness to work and an insatiable desire to improve.

I don’t mean to boast here, but (in many ways) this guy reminds me of a younger version of myself. And, as selfish as this might sound, the resemblances (however slight) give me a more personal appreciation of such exemplary attributes. And although, by these kids standards, I graduated high school in ancient times (2015), I can confidently say values like discipline won’t lose their worth as you transition from adolescence to adulthood. 

Speaking of which, this kid may just be the living embodiment of discipline. Some people would call him a “workout warrior;” I call him a force to be reckoned with, a beast. He’s often one of the first guys to enter the weight room on days we lift, and he’s *always* making the best use of his time there (even when his friends on the team are just being boys and cracking jokes). You’ll never catch this guy cutting his reps of bench press short. Likewise you’ll always see him “going lower,” using proper technique when doing weighted squats. 

But he does more than stand out in the weight room. I mean, the dude’s got WHEELS! It’s so rare to see someone reach top speed so quickly and maintain it with a show of pure grit. It’s simply fascinating to watch. No one can afford to look away when this man starts his final lap of a workout on the track, and rightfully so. He’s got an abundance of talent, and I’m excited to see how he applies that (maybe trying the 800m too?) in the spring when outdoor track season begins. On top of that, I believe he’s only a sophomore?! So as an underclassman, I know he’s got a lot more up his sleeve to offer Parkview in the years to come.

However, believe it or not, in my opinion that isn’t even the most impressive quality about this guy. What I love most about this runner, and primarily why I picked him for this award, is his tireless tenacity. He ran several races this season of which he wasn’t the most proud; but he didn’t sulk for long. And he didn’t let it impact him, at least not negatively. He continued onward, with a chip on his shoulder, until the very end. Despite his personal shortcomings, he attended every practice determined to do better. And do better he did. He ran a season’s best of 18:15. And (as a TENTH GRADER) he fought hard for the final varsity spot on the state championship team, only missing out by a slim margin of 12 seconds. Moreover, he carried a positive attitude afterwards and supported his teammates through the state championship. He even trained into the postseason and asked me about running a 5K time trial on the track. And that’s what I call true dedication!

Now unfortunately he missed xc camp over the summer at Berry College, but Coach Demarest kept telling me he’s our “top returner not here.” What he didn’t tell me . . . is this guy is really something special. And I’m eager to see what the future holds for him at Parkview and beyond. With that said, I’d like to present my 2022 coaches award for the boys team to none other than . . . Andrew Ko! Congratulations, man!

Yesica Garcia

In a similar fashion to my selection process for this award among the boys team, there are numerous girls deserving of this one. I could easily toss a dozen ladies names in a hat, and it’d be impossible to make a “wrong” decision. Hence why, just like I did with the boys, I employed a particular collection of criteria to nominate someone for this award. And the most important criterion influencing my choice here involves a noteworthy, and truly remarkable, passion for the sport at such a young age.

For some people, my pick is best known for being the younger sibling of another successful competitor on the team. Now, while this is certainly true, it’s obvious to me that she provides so much more than that. And I think it’s an insult to only comment on her potential, because her proven capabilities already demonstrated in just her second season of cross country are criminally under-appreciated.

This girl is rounding into form relatively quickly, and I have no doubt she will be contributing as a scorer on the varsity team next year. Although she missed the first few meets due to injury and struggled to find her footing in her first few races, that’s understandable. After all, she is only a sophomore. Plus, as I mentioned, it didn’t take her very long to make significant progress.

And in retrospect, I don’t think that comes to the surprise of anyone who knows her well. I see her doing so many things right. She shows the utmost respect to her coaches, always greeting us in passing. She never fails to spread joy among the team, smiling and laughing with her peers (when the circumstances are appropriate, of course). She’s patient enough to wait for her dawdling brother after every practice session, who (according to Coach Demarest) is “slow in all things except running.” On top of that, she has an unrivaled enthusiasm to educate herself about the sport of running. And she’s not afraid to fully immerse herself in it to acquire that wisdom, which I admire. After her race at the Asics invitational, I still vividly recall her approaching me to ask about the protocol to choose the seven runners to compete at the state championship. In that moment, I knew she was undoubtedly committed to the sport (as both an individual AND as a teammate). But that definitely wasn’t the first time I caught a glimpse of her “bull by the horns” attitude.

In the words of Coach Michael, I already knew she was “tough” after seeing her race at the Gwinnett County Championships. I could see it in her face, as well as in her form. She was so fatigued that she couldn’t even run straight as she neared the finish line, but she powered through anyway. Then I instantly knew; she had guts. But that isn’t it. Resolve goes a long way in endurance running, but exhibiting that strength to the degree that one crosses the line with an empty tank of gas requires something more. And man does she have it.

This toughness led her to a sub-23:00 finish at the Asics invitational, a gutsy attempt to win a race on an extremely hilly course and very hot day at Pinecrest Academy, a season’s best and personal 5K record of 22:47 at the Randolph Invitational, and, chiefly, along with Lilly Tinker (and similar to Andrew Ko, of the same grade), a narrow miss in securing a position among the seven ladies selected to race at the state championship in Carrollton. Fortunately that’s an indication of future achievements, rather than a reason for discouragement.

Therefore, it is with great honor that I’d like to present this award to a rapidly-developing young sophomore girl with unlimited promise. She has large shoes to fill, considering the exceptional legacy cemented by her older brother. So it’s a good thing I don’t think she has any plans to follow in his footsteps or live in his shadow. I think she’s more interested in creating her own unique reputation, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. With all that said, I’m proud to announce a worthy recipient of this year’s coaches award - Yesica Garcia! Congratulations!