Hello Red Dragons!

I hope you are doing well in these uncertain times!

I wanted to share a little bit about where we were two weeks ago today: at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.  Things really escalated quickly over the course of that day as we saw the NCAAs cancelled, along with the entire collegiate outdoor track and field season.  We were now in the situation of driving back to Cortland from North Carolina the next day, along with trying to figure out what everybody on the team was going to do, how to prepare for online classes, etc.

That night after dinner, I let the team know that I would go over to the facility in the morning to pick up our pole vault poles and shots, and that they would need to be ready to leave when I got back to the hotel tell.  To my surprise, they asked to come with me!  They wanted to have one last chance to 'compete' at Nationals.  People put their uniform and spikes on, and ran and jumped.  It was really cool to see!  My heart was full, and a little bit broken at the same time.

We work daily to stress focusing on the process and staying positive; having these folks choose both of those things under what are understandably frustrating and depressing conditions was an incredibly proud moment for me as a coach!  Things are quite strange now, but we are working through it.  Being positive and staying focused on the process goes a long ways to help us through tough times like this!
This year our 'end of season' interviews are being done over the phone.  It's been strange to talk with the seniors especially, as this is not the way we anticipated saying goodbye!  On the other hand, it has been great to have a chance to reminisce, laugh, and connect with each other.  We spend a lot of time talking about the 'big picture,' and that even though we have lost something, we also have new opportunities opened up!

Upcoming Events in Cortland…hopefully:

*  The Annual Day of Giving (formerly the 3-2-1 Challenge) has been a huge source of support the past few years – we hope you will choose to support us again in the future!  For now, the College has made the decision to postpone this event in light of COVID-19, which seems a good decision!

*  Reunion 2020 is scheduled from July 9th to 12th; the past few years we have had a strong presence especially in the golf tournament (with nearly 3 teams last year).  As of now, Reunion 2020 is still scheduled to take place; my hope is to see a lot of our recent alumni there!  Please be in touch if you plan to be back!


As always, we thank you for your support and interest!  Stay Safe and Sane!
 
Steve
 
Steve Patrick '97
Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
SUNY Cortland

Previous Updates:
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019