Making a statement

“Oh you should see the Colosseum, Spaniard,” said Oliver Reed’s character Proximo to Russell Crowe’s Maximus in the 2000 movie, “Gladiator.”

To many of the freshmen and other first-time competitors to the 2013 NSAA Track and Field Meet, it just may seem like the Colosseum in Rome 2,000-years-ago.

Today, hundreds of high-school athletes will or have already departed for Rome and the great Colosseum, here forward to be known as Burke Stadium in Omaha. There will be two days of games beginning tomorrow and concluding on Saturday. The Sun-Telegaph will go too. Complete with three photographers and a scribe.

Included in this horde will be 31-student athletes from the local area. Though the venue and crowd sizes may seem a little overwhelming to some at first, I suspect they will settle in before long. As this is my first trip to the games, I suspect I too will settle in before long. But of course I don’t have to compete.

At least the participants can take comfort in that the fate of their lives will not rest with the whim of a tyranical emperor like Commodus. Instead thumbs up or thumbs down will be determined by each of them individually. They will judge themselves just as individually. Some will be hard on themselves, others less so.

But I suspect all will take it seriously and give it their all. If that is the case, how can anyone be hard on themselves after giving their all? Isn’t that all one has? What was it Jim Valvano said? Something like if you can laugh, you can cry and spend some time in thought - that’s a heck of a day.

Though I suppose someone stricken with cancer can better understand that perspective better than a teenager. As a survivor of that disease, I hope I can remember Valvano’s perspective if I miss the photo-op of the year.

Come to think of it, I’ve seen some of these kids give more than they have. Or at least they seemed to have reached in to find something they never knew they had before. How else could you explain Creek Valley’s Ashley Burr straining with what seemed like every fiber in her body trying to hold on to a tenuous lead in the 800 meters at the district D meet in Chappell.

Or Sidney freshman Gabby Heller, so weak legged after her anchor leg in the 1,600-meter relay, I’d swear it was only the bear hug of her senior teammate Morgan Linneman that kept her upright. Those are the best moments. The ones that make coaches and parents proud.

It’s often said to those about to compete, “Just have fun.” That may seem trite, but there is a lot of truth to the saying. Though I only spent one season running track in eighth grade, I learned from other sports that mood has a direct correlation with success. At least it is so in golf and skiing - the only sports I still participate in. So Have fun - success will follow.

Of the 31 athletes from our area 10 are sophomores, nine are seniors, seven juniors and five freshman. I don’t know how many have made the trip before. With so many underclassmen, the roster to Omaha around these parts looks like it will be long for years to come.

Sidney is sending 14 to Omaha competing in 25 Class B events. In Class D, Potter Dix is sending 11 participants to do battle in 18 events. Creek Valley and Leyton, small as they are, are sending two and four athletes respectively.

For the nine recently graduated seniors, this is their last hurrah. Surely Sidney seniors Linneman (100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 400-meter relay), Kali Robb (shot put, 400-meter relay), Karissa Segelke (100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, 400-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay) and Sam Arterburn (1,600 meters) will remember this weekend the rest of their life. As will Kaidee Livingstone (pole vault), Luke Johnson (800 meters, 3,200-meter relay) and Brady Knigge (long jump, 1,600-meter relay) of Potter-Dix.

As for the smaller schools, Creek Valley and Leyton, this just may be the beginning of a string of memorable weekends in Omaha. All but one are underclassmen. The single exception is Rachel Ernest who punctuated her career by qualifying in the 300-meter hurdles.

Creek Valley is sending junior Summer Mueller, a qualifier in the 1,600 meters and pole vault. Sophomore Hannah Schievelbein will represent the Storm in the discus.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Berner leads the Leyton group as she qualifed for the long and triple jump. Ernest and Berner will be joined by Kassandra Harris in discus and Shaela Jenkins in the 100-meter hurdles.

Besides the Sidney seniors are juniors Nick Conger (high jump), Logan Lewis (Shot Put, 100 meters, 200 meters) and Lucas Rosenbaum (400 meters and pole vault). The sophomores include Gabby Addleman (400-meter relay), Alli Ehler (3,200 meters, 1,600-meter relay), Savanna Rosenbaum (high jump) and Hayden Lienemann (800 meters). The Raiders send three freshmen: Jami Flores (high jump), Heller (1,600-meter relay) and Genessa Schilz (1600-meter relay).

Rounding out the Potter-Dix roster are juniors Kate Woten (1,600 meters) and Bryant (you can or can’t call me Steven I’m not sure) Knigge (pole vault, 3,200 meters). Sophomore Coyotes are Cooper Hicks (110-meter hurdles, 3,200-meter relay), Jake Johnson (1,600 meters, 1,600-meter relay, 3,200-meter relay) and Cameron Purcell (1,600-meter relay). The two freshmen making the trip are Regyn Hicks (100-meter hurdles, high jump) and Kelsey Rozelle (1,600-meter relay).

State Golf

The spring season is also made for golf, though you wouln’t know by enduring a May 1, snow storm. For the Red Raiders, senior Taylor Barton will make the journey to the Jackrabbit Run Golf Course in Grand Island in the Class B State Championship.

The Class D State Championship is scheduled for the Meadowlark Golf Course in Kearney. Creek Valley junior Lane Godfrey and Potter-Dix senior Kyle Gorsuch qualified for their tourament.

Both championships take place on Tues., and Wed., May 21-22.

Barton’s score (77) in the Class B District Championship in Scottsbluff earlier this week qualified him in a tie for 12th of the 75 players going to Grand Island. Players will be going off in foursomes from the first and tenth tee. Barton tee’s off at 11 a.m. on the first hole.

Godfrey qualified for states with an 85 at the Hillside Golf Course in Sidney. Gorsuch scored 90. Godfrey will tee off the first hole at 10:40 a.m. Gorsuch precedes him on number one at 9:50 a.m.

The Sun-Telegraph will be in Kearney and Grand Island too.