The Decatur MacArthur team from 1986 which took second in state is revered as one of the best of all-time (Bob Jelks photo credit)
The next two weekends of Boys and Girls State Championship meets are the best weekends of the track and field season. I'm especially excited this year because health wise I almost didn't get to see them. So if you hear a lot of laughs and noise coming from the press box, it is me (B-Side) and my boys from Illinois MileSplit living it up. Last weekend's Jr. High State meet in East Peoria, in which my guy Khalyn Young won the 7th grade 200m, was a warm-up for the next two weekends!
These past couple of weeks of not knowing if I was going to live or die was tougher than any race I had ever run. The 2016 state meet, like all others, bring memories that will be with you the rest of your life. I realized throughout all my pain, surgery, and will to live, it was my accomplishments from the 1986 state meet (breaking the 200m record injured- 21.01), the 1992 team winning the title (both Decatur MacArthur teams), and various other athletes reaching the podium motivated and pushed me. My mind, when I was in pain, had a voice attached to it saying, "But 'B' you couldn't walk and was crippled the week of state, with the whole state watching to see if you could run or would I fall on your face and you still broke the record!" Each time, my mind went into state meet memory mode.
Over the next two weekends, there will be memories made. There will be some good and some bad. There will be memories you will talk about the rest of your life when you see your former teammates. My lead off leg (Jason) from the '92 championship 4x100 meter relay squad was at his daughter's sectional junior high meet two weeks ago. They had a truck making t-shirts. I'm getting a kid warmed up and I hear a yell, "Hey, Coach B!" Jason holds up a t-shirt that says Decatur MacArthur 1992 State Champions 4x1! It still means that much to him all these years later. A lifetime achievement and as a coach you feel great when it's brought up. The shirt looked like where he stood it was 1992 and just happened but where I stood it was 2016.
The state meet is kind of sad if you're a senior. Everything is the last time. The last bus ride, putting on the uniform and spikes, last team stretch/drills, the last time you will ever check in for an event or stand on the podium. But somehow everything you did and learned leaves Eastern Illinois' track and goes with you to college and adulthood. So film it or write it down, so you will have it.
State memories can push you through life's pitfalls because you can recall how you pushed through an injury or wasn't favored to win or looked over but end up shocking the world. State memories give you confidence that you're better than the average person who didn't make it to state and they don't have what you have. State memories have a powerful impact on life and can be used in a positive way whether you win or lose. Sometimes it's just bigger than a track meet.
I know this, without track and my state memories, this past month I would have been a wreck. Track gave me something to focus on, a goal to reach; knowing my athletes were depending on me to coach them. The day after my surgery, I was in a chair coaching as state memories pushed me out of bed to persevere and prove people wrong who said I should be resting. Real athletes (track or any other sport) don't think like. A funny thing happened when the kids saw me fight through pain; they fought even harder in practice and at state. They were motivated, thinking if Coach can come out here in pain/stitches, what do we have to complain about? Let's go get it! Last weekend I watched them not only get their medals, but create a state memory that they will carry the rest of their lives.
I want to give a shout out to, and I'm sure there were more, the coaches from E. St. Louis, Plainfield Central boys, Kaneland, Marion, Hoffman Estate girls, as well as Elmwood Park and Schaumburg for their B-Side article "thanks" on Just Stand.
Thank you.