I've said it before . . .

I'll say this again  . . . I am biased.  I participated in sports.  My children (not all) participated in sports.  My grandchildren (not all) participated in sports.  And obviously I coach sports and find it to be rewarding if not exhilarating. I encourage young people, related or not, to participate in sports.  And there are myriad lists of reasons to join in or to abstain from athletics.  My personal lists (which I've limited to 5), with comments, follow:

PRO

1.  Fitness - I vividly recall my first attempt at running as an adult.  I was 27 years old, overweight, out of shape and went 2 miles in a brisk 20+ minutes.  But I went back the next day and did the same thing and over time extended the distance and shortened the time.  Then I continued for nearly 40 healthy years.  I've watched countless others improve their health in athletics.

2.  Social Relationships - I was looking for a reason to attend my 50th class reunion a few years ago and decided that one good reason to go would be to see the friends I grew up with who happened to be my teammates in sports as a youth.  And that doesn't include my three current best friends who were both neighborhood kids AND teammates. Being on a team gives you an instant peer group and friends you'll have for life.

3.  Time Management - The best example I can give here is that my youngest daughter who participated in 3 sports for 4 years during high school learned early on to manage her time appropriately in order to meet her athletic commitment and academic requirements.  Now a professional businesswoman I can see she has the very same work ethic.  Want to succeed, learn to manage your time to your advantage.

4.  Improved Academics - I was associated with another local, college prep high school for ten years.  In each of those years the Cross-Country team had the highest GPA of any team in the school.  But the most revealing stat was that ALL the academic teams had higher GPAs than the general population of the school.  Sometimes the best examples of what to do are provided by those peers with whom you spend a good part of your day.

5.  Maturity - Over time, I've had the privilege of coaching hundreds, if not thousands, of kids.  I can state with absolute certainty that the preponderance of those young people became or are well on their way to becoming, well adjusted, hard-working, responsible adults.  Isn't what this is all about?

Summary - I have watched young people go from fat to fit, timid to confident, confused to focused, inquisitive to intellectual, and childish to reliable and dependable.  Sports can do that for you.

CON

1.  Injury - There is the potential for injury of course in any sport.  But our requirements include many safeguards to protect our athletes.  Pre-season physicals, strict adherence to rules concerning heat and exhaustion, limitations on practices and contact, on site trainers, CPR requirements, and many more.  The fear of injury, not injury itself, should not preclude participation.

2.  Cost - There are costs associated with our sports programs which are, in part, passed on to the athletes and their families.  But for those unable to meet these costs there are alternatives.  These alternatives include numerous tasks which have zero stigma attached to them.  Our AD is adamant that no student be prevented from participation in sports due to financial difficulties and will make every effort to provide a reasonable, if not enjoyable, option to payment when appropriate.

3.  Social stigma - I was surprised, but understanding, in previous seasons when several of our XC athletes voiced dissatisfaction that our meets were held on a course which had been changed to require running past the football team.  I was very pleased that the reaction of the football team was to cheer on all our athletes.  Every WH athlete, whatever team, respects and encourages other teams and its athletes.

4.  Lack of Role Models - Here at Whitman-Hanson I work with some of the most dedicated professionals I've had the honor of knowing.  I can state, without reservation, that each and every coach, assistant and volunteer is committed to providing the best experience for our kids.  I have also had the privilege of watching some of those same kids continue as coaches as adults.  They understand the importance of what they do and take it very seriously.

5.  Winning at all costs - Winning, like succeeding, should be a goal of any young person.  Whether it is in sports, academics or life in general.  But the truth is, very few of our teams go undefeated.  Loss is an important lesson each of our student athletes learns as well.  Most adults fully recognize the need to put in the effort to succeed but are also experienced in accepting occasional failure and moving on from it.

Summary - Injury, at times, is unavoidable, but every effort is made to ensure an athlete's safety and enjoyment.  Costs can be overcome in a variety of ways. You will not be ridiculed by anybody for your athletic efforts or accomplishments, but more importantly, you will have pride in them.  Our student-athletes have teammates and coaches who will do everything in their power to make athletics a memorable experience for you.  And participation in sports . . . well that makes you a winner on day 1!

While I'm on a roll . . . WHO LOVES YA BABY?

OK, you've got to be my age to know that was a line used regularly by Detective Theo Kojak in the 1970's television program “Kojak”.  It became kind a of a catchphrase of my generation back in the day.  Never thought I'd be using it in 2026 (of course, I wasn't sure I'd be topside of the sod in 2017!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8hbUqhKM38

Nonetheless, I know there were cuts from other sports today.  And I know there is disappointment among those cut.  I could be crass and say "life goes on" but I've been there and I know that is not what anyone wants to hear.  I feel badly for anybody experiencing that disappointment, but I can tell you from experience that things will look better down the road.  One door closes, another opens.  If you have a friend who has been cut from a team, please let him or her know, Cross-Country will accept them with open arms.  Who loves ya baby???  Cross-Country!!!

Practice tomorrow at 2:30. Bring a (disappointed) friend.  We'll do our very best to be that "something better."

Opening Day - 2026

It was a thoroughly enjoyable thirteenth "opening day" for me at Whitman-Hanson yesterday. Following a productive summer of "Core at 4:00" we got together "for real" to get down to what we do best . . . running! 

Coach Coletti and I conducted a somewhat extended two-hour practice and still didn't accomplish everything we'd hoped for; but like our summer training, it was productive.  First, the student-athletes received a couple of handouts.  The first, dealt with "team culture" and listed elements chosen by the kids representing shared values they hope will establish great team chemistry, higher engagement and productivity while making every team member feel valued and safe.  As coaches we want to ensure an environment that promotes growth and well-being, and we are proud of all our kids who share our purpose and vision.

The second handout addressed three simple things we've asked the athletes to address in writing - their 2026 goals, any changes they would like to see made in the program this year, and each athlete was asked to vote for Captains; those who will be leading them throughout the season.  We felt it best to give them 3-4 days of practice to return their responses.

We asked the teams to walk the mile loop together around the school and athletic fields to catch up following summer vacation and in some instances introduce themselves and welcome newcomers.  That loop was followed by running the same loop.  This loop was timed and recorded and will help us establish a baseline for the athletes; a training plan going forward; and results we'll use to calculate improvement in the days to come.  The team's third loop was a circuit workout where the teams ran between four (shaded) stops along the route, stopped to perform four exercises before continuing on, and again finish at our starting point, the flagpole. While we wanted to finish the day with post run work including strength and mobility exercises, time dictated that we stretch and call it a day.

Day two will consist of the three elements we try to incorporate into each practice.  After speaking with the team, we quickly get in a warmup, immediately followed by a run/workout, and then right into post run work.  We customarily will get everybody's heart rate up for a full 75-90 minutes each day. All our workouts are designed to prevent injury and overuse, and we ask before and after each practice if any student-athlete has any injuries or ailments to discuss.  

It goes without saying that during all our practices Coach Coletti and I keep a watchful eye on the student-athletes and immediately address any concerns or difficulties they encounter.  We also encourage parental involvement/communication.  The sooner we know about anything troubling your child, the better we are able to address the matter.  We appreciate the opportunity to work with those you care about most and want this to be a memorable and rewarding XC season for all.  

Resolutions

Wishing all a Happy New Year on the final day of 2025!  And like each and every year, today I'm considering RESOLUTIONS to make entering the New Year.  I'm also thinking about RESOLUTIONS our team members might make heading into 2026.  

I put together a list and then looked for help in perfecting it.  What I ultimately found was the perfect list, from a credible and notable source, Runners World.  Giving consideration to the fact the publication's resources and knowledge put mine to shame, I've linked the article below and respectfully ask that you read it and consider following its sage advice.

8 easy running resolutions (and how to stick to them)

Each of the 8 resolutions is significant to any level runner - novice to elite.  In fact, I would suggest any (or all) of you take a few of those Holiday Dollars and invest in a subscription to the world's #1 running magazine by most accounts.  But while you're waiting for that first issue to arrive you might want to give thoughtful consideration to and highlight the following words within each resolution in the linked article:

1. enjoyable and do-able

2. rest day

3. enjoy

4. done by degrees

5. core and upper body

6. injury prevention

7. morning runner

8. local running club

Resolutions #1 through #7 are, for now anyway, entirely up to you.  You will have to motivate yourselves to follow through on many of them while relying on yourselves and your coaches to maintain them.  How many times have you heard me say, "consistency is key"?  Admittedly, I've taken the oft used phrase from Coach Jay Johnson's book Consistency is Key: 15 Ways to Unlock Your Potential as a High School Runner.  But it's TRUE.  CONSISTENCY will determine the success you have in achieving any goals or keeping any training resolutions you make.  If your performances have reached a plateau or you've shown a lack of improvement, ask yourself about your consistency.  Be honest now.  Tell you what, the first five of you who request a copy of Coach Johnson's book via a text to me or Coach Coletti will receive a copy when you return from your Holiday break.  It's an easy book to read quickly and I'm hoping something in it will resonate with you.  Make CONSISTENCY with respect to your 2026 RESOLUTIONS your focus starting tomorrow!

Resolution #8 has become my focus.  Many of you have a "running club" in the form of the Cross Country and Track teams for which you compete, but my resolution is to increase your numbers by providing younger kids the opportunity to experience our sport's offering of healthy exercise and making friends.  I'll need your help, but the plan right now is to provide a running club experience beginning this spring for Whitman and Hanson youth.  More on that later.

For now, though, Happy New Year!  I hope 2026 is joyous and prosperous for you and your families.  I'm truly grateful and excited about working with you all in the coming year. 

With PEACE and LOVE in the New Year and beyond . . .

Something to cheer about . . .

First, thanks to all who participated in last evening's season-end celebration.  Special Thanks to Coach Coletti who organized the event and for recognizing, but not mentioning, the fact I am useless in these matters.  Also, special thanks to the parents and student-athletes who brought an abundance of food, drinks and desserts.  Thank you to Mrs. Rouse, our brilliant photographer for creating memories. Why do I feel like Barzini in the Godfather (catch that scene here - Barzini Photo Scene ) whenever my photo is snapped? And THANK YOU to the kids for your thoughtfulness and generosity toward Coach Coletti and me.  It all made for a memorable evening.

In retrospect, our season was also memorable.  Not for winning certainly, but there are other criteria in sport used to measure success.  My favorite highlight of the season . . . 27 of 29 participants achieved Personal Records at the Patriot League Meet.  Improvement was our primary goal from the start, and the kids didn't let us down.  Our first meet of the year was a 2.85-mile race at Silver Lake Regional.  Our last league meet was also held at Silver Lake Regional; with the course this time being extended by a quarter mile (from 2.85 to 3.1 miles.)  The chart below reflects the improvement made by each and every member of our team, nearly all of whom made that improvement without any adjustment made for the change in distance.  Jacob Marques, for example, ran 1/4 mile further in 3:50 less than he had run to open his season.  Each one of the student-athletes achieved some degree of success during 2025, without question!  That makes for a very successful campaign. 

And our athletes owe it all to their own commitment and dedication.  Our sport can be exhilarating and not as alleged in the humorous skit linked below.  (And I should also add that this year, Ben Andrews was designated as the one to say "GO" each day.)  

Coach Coletti and I are intent on increasing our numbers.  That is our goal moving forward.  I expect you'll hear much more about our plans in the weeks and months to come.  In the meantime, that humorous link can be reached here - I Ran Cross Country .

THINGS YOU WON'T (DIDN'T) HEAR AT THE 2025 CROSS COUNTRY BANQUET

 

Plank position!  22!  Right over left!  Any injuries I have to know about?  What time does the bus leave?

I miss it already and I'm looking forward to doing it again next year.  But seriously . . .

Thank you all for attending the celebration following the 2025 Panther Cross Country season.  I apologize for perhaps repeating myself through the years, but to the parents - we honestly appreciate the opportunity to work with your children; it is an honor to do so.  Thank you for trusting us with those you hold most dear.  Our XC team is a wonderful group to work with. Each and every team member is a unique and remarkable student-athlete.

To the student-athletes – thank you for participating in Cross Country which has been a highlight of my day for many years as I hope it has been for you during your time here at WHRHS. Special thanks to Coach Coletti, who like your parents, gave me an opportunity to work with her children; three of them in fact, and who, for the past 7 years has worked alongside me and become not only a dear friend but a tremendously accomplished coach, mentor and role model for all the girls and boys on our team.

In his book “The Human Odyssey” Thomas Armstrong writes on what he terms the twelve stages of life and tells us that each of these stages brings with it its own unique gift to the world.  For example, I am in the stage of Mature Adulthood (Ages 50-80):  and the gift we bring to society is Benevolence – meaning we have raised families, established ourselves in our work life, and become contributors to the betterment of society through volunteerism, mentorships, and other forms of philanthropy. 

Your parents, most of whom I'd think fall between the ages of 20-50, are included in the stages of Early Adulthood and Mid-Life which bring with them the gifts of Enterprise and Contemplation.  From personal experience I’d briefly define Enterprise as working like a dog, and Contemplation as wondering if that is all there is to life.  Passage through these stages generally brings one to the point he/she sets out to make their mark in the world; to create his/her own legacy.

You, young people are in the stage of Adolescence, which Armstrong describes as between the ages of 12 and 20 and then goes on to state the gift you bring to the world is evident in the physical, emotional, cultural, and spiritual changes you go through during this period in your lives.  Your gift is Passion.  You approach nearly all you do with intensity, enthusiasm, love and even mania at times.  “Mature adults” like myself, as well as those in “early adulthood” and “mid-life” often look back on our adolescent passion whenever we want to reconnect with our deepest inner love for life.  One might suggest then that your parents, teachers, coaches and other adults with whom you interact, at times, seek to recapture that gift which you now possess.  As much as I want you to use that gift wisely today, my fervent hope is that you never lose that Passion.  Turning twenty years old doesn’t necessarily bring with it a lifetime of “working like a dog.”  Nor should you spend long periods of time as an adult questioning if what you have is “all there is to life”.  Work will undoubtedly be a major factor throughout your life as will occasionally considering if you might have been better off moving in another direction. But never let go of your enthusiasm and intensity in your approach to your studies, your work, your families and what I hope includes a lifetime of good health and fitness. Strive to love all that you do and forever be grateful for every minute of the experience. 

With PEACE ☮ and LOVE 💗

Coach George

Whitman-Hanson @ Duxbury

 All we've asked for this season is improvement.  Coming into the fall of 2024 we understood the Patriot League is a very strong league which would present a young, inexperienced team with challenges.  Wins would be at a premium, so team success would suffer.  But with individual improvement, each athlete has an opportunity for what I've always termed, a "little victory."  and this season has provided improvement and loads of "little victories" every . . . time . . . out.  

We've had three home meets on the Burrage course, and the improvement we looked for speaks for itself as we faced (in order) Marshfield, Silver Lake and Hingham. Note DNS - Did Not Start (due to illness or injury)

Athlete	Sep 10	Sep 17	Oct 1
10	Mitchell Anderson	31:29.03	27:04.03	24:59.63
11	Benjamin Andrews	17:42.03	17:58.03	17:50.53
9	Jayden Brzuszek	20:51.03	20:04.03	19:16.33
10	Aidan Delorey	DNS	21:54.03	21:42.13
9	Jackson DeLue	20:56.03	19:41.03	19:43.83
10	Jacob Folsom	25:52.03	DNS	24:37.33
10	Zachary Geagan	23:43.03	DNS	22:46.83
10	Josh Hadden	22:09.03	20:55.03	20:08.53
12	Declan Handlin	22:45.03	23:24.03	22:20.63
10	Azure Lloyd	25:18.03	24:15.03	22:59.53
12	Luke McLaughlin	24:29.03	23:17.03	22:24.13
9	Dylan Meredith	21:55.03	20:27.03	19:40.63
11	Luke Morse	24:13.03	23:46.03	23:07.83
10	Logan Peterson	25:55.03	24:21.03	23:17.73
11	Sebastian Petrus	25:01.03	24:12.03	24:18.33
11	Caleb Poth	21:19.03	20:40.03	20:26.93
10	Caeleb Rouse	21:01.03	20:32.03	19:46.43
11	Lexton Tobiaz	26:30.03	22:29.03	21:24.33
9	Benjamin Vinton	27:55.03	25:40.03	24:43.03
9	Bryce Wechbacher	25:19.03	23:07.03	21:40.93

	Athlete	Sep 10	Sep 17	Oct 1
9	Emma Ambrocea	32:37.03	32:43.03	31:45.33
10	Lindsey Brzuszek	28:47.03	26:52.03	DNS
12	Isabella Furtado	27:10.03	DNS	25:44.53
12	Chloe Handlin	23:55.03	24:22.03	23:05.43
10	Gabrielle Lyons	DNS	DNS	30:58.23
10	Tara MacCurtain	DNS	35:05.03	33:37.83
12	Sadie McKay	32:35.03	32:14.03	31:28.03
12	Willa McKay	26:23.03	25:22.03	25:29.23
11	Morgan Nessralla	DNS	DNS	27:18.93
10	Kaylah Randow	27:43.03	27:08.03	25:56.93
10	Rachael Sirignano	25:39.03	23:45.03	22:55.83
9	Lilly Smith	DNS	DNS	28:31.83
10	Bethany Vinton	30:50.03	30:42.03	27:52.83
11	Hanh Vo	30:39.03	30:30.03	28:06.83

We've had two away meets.  First, we traveled to Plymouth North on 9/24, a tough 2.9-mile course, and then Duxbury on 10/9, an even tougher and longer 2.95-mile course, and again, you can see the dramatic improvement:

Athlete	Sep 24	Oct 9
10	Mitchell Anderson	28:53.01	27:30.02
11	Benjamin Andrews	17:20.01	17:12.02
9	Jayden Brzuszek	19:27.01	18:29.02
10	Aidan Delorey	21:22.01	20:12.02
9	Jackson DeLue	21:22.01	18:45.02
10	Jacob Folsom	25:21.01	23:23.02
10	Zachary Geagan	DNS	21:13.02
10	Josh Hadden	19:44.01	19:42.02
12	Declan Handlin	21:25.01	20:56.02
10	Azure Lloyd	23:36.01	23:29.02
12	Luke McLaughlin	21:18.01	21:28.02
9	Dylan Meredith	19:43.01	19:11.02
11	Luke Morse	22:37.01	DNS
10	Logan Peterson	22:06.01	22:45.02
11	Sebastian Petrus	22:41.01	23:16.02
11	Caleb Poth	20:20.01	19:40.02
10	Caeleb Rouse	20:44.01	19:28.02
11	Lexton Tobiaz	20:55.01	DNS
9	Benjamin Vinton	24:06.01	23:50.02
9	Bryce Wechbacher	21:49.01	20:33.02

	Athlete	Sep 24	Oct 9
9	Emma Ambrocea	33:08.01	DNS
10	Lindsey Brzuszek	25:59.01	23:41.02
12	Isabella Furtado	25:36.01	24:50.02
12	Chloe Handlin	23:04.01	22:38.02
10	Gabrielle Lyons	DNS	28:09.02
10	Tara MacCurtain	33:04.01	30:57.02
12	Sadie McKay	29:59.01	29:16.02
12	Willa McKay	24:46.01	23:55.02
11	Morgan Nessralla	27:31.01	25:40.02
10	Kaylah Randow	25:59.01	24:02.02
10	Rachael Sirignano	25:04.01	DNS
9	Lilly Smith	29:12.01	DNS
10	Bethany Vinton	28:27.01	27:58.02
11	Hanh Vo	28:42.01	29:08.02

Even taking into account the fact the Duxbury course is both longer and more difficult than the Plymouth North course, 23 of our 27 runners who competed in both races, improved.  As we come to the end of the dual meet portion of our season, we have a lot to proud of, and quite a bit to look forward to in the seasons to come.  2024 may not have produced a lot of team wins, but those "little victories" I spoke about, along with the smiles of a great group of kids, were plentiful.

Full results of today's meet at Duxbury can be viewed at the following link:

Whitman-Hanson @ Duxbury