Pre Season Thoughts from Snoop Robb

            Since I have been on the team I have watched and been a part of the transition between dreaming of and becoming a great program. Over the last year especially culture has changed.. Our summer training has proved that over and over again. There was rarely a morning that a Phoenix was not pounding the trails at Hickory Creek. We boys have become dedicated to the cause of taking a road trip this November and it’s not just apparent in our running, but also in our strength and stretching. Drill Sergeant and Insurance Salesmen John Chomiak has developed a personal vendetta against stupid injuries. Us scrawny punks (mostly the whole team excluding James Sullivan) came to a disappointing end last year in Edwardsville with almost half of us taped together and this season will not end the same way…

            Too dramatic. Our summer has been a fun one filled with Frisbee and shirtlessness. It was not filled with Coach Stapinski and our summer school boys, however, who did it the hard way: training in the afternoon heat. I think a highlight of everyone’s summer was our mid-tempo swim at the dunes. We all learned the valuable lesson that ignoring trail signs is a must-do. I have never seen our team so excited to be running and hiding in the woods is down 96% from my freshmen year (don’t think we don’t notice you rope-swinging punks). The hard work really is paying off. Someone pointed out that our first circuit workout of last year (grass loops at school) we only finished about 4 laps but this year it was closer to 5 and a half. Even Coach’s Old Man Speed couldn’t stick with the Insurance Salesmen this time…

            Anyways, from last year’s Top 12 the Phoenix are returning 9 along with numerous track stars that are somewhat new to the sport. We have become a group accustomed to running together and running fast together. This is key to our goal of having a: 30 spread from the first runner to the 7^th. This will be especially tough with the twin speed demons up front (So. Noah Healy and the aforementioned Chomiak). The enigmatic Luke Dahleen is also returning this season so hold on to your hats, it is in his blood. Upperclassmen Nick Niendorf, Mark Harris, Ryan Belavich, Demtri Panici, Sean Kilpatrick, Will Newman, and James Sullivan to name a few have all put in their miles this summer and looking to tear it up. Besides that we have a strong crew of dedicated and fun guys looking to make the most out of this season.

            My personal expectations for this season our similar of those in the past. I fully expect us to qualify for state this year, Matt Niendorf is getting awfully lonely on the Wall of Fame and I expect us to join him. I fully expect that we will match and rival our conference AND sectional rival Lincoln-Way Central. My boldest prediction is that all all-conference honors only to go to Lincoln-Way Runners (Shout out to my boys at West). Besides that I am looking forward to soak it all in (especially Heart Rate 400s) during my last season as Phoenix. We’ve got the tools and it’s time to go to work.

CaptainRob

Rob Harrington