What Just Happened?: What Katie did that Saturday morning

Hey, what just happened?

What just happened on that blue track on that warm and breezy Saturday morning that caused such an outpouring of emotion and appreciation from a crowd watching a track meet? It didn’t just affect a few, but whatever happened, affected a bunch of people.

From seasoned track fans, to fellow athletes, to people just new to the sport, to friends and family alike, everyone relished in what we had just witnessed and we all basked in the goodness and joy of the after glow. Grown men, seasoned and hardened media types and photographers, guys who’ve covered a life time of thrilling sports stories were some how caught up to in this particular event and some of them down in the press room, moved to tears, turned away from their peers so not to be embarrassed.

It was Katie’s fault. She was the one who caused such unbridled emotion that couldn’t be contained. It was what she did, running around that blue oval in front of us, for four minutes and thirteen some seconds that moved us to feel at the very least, goose bumps and at the very most big wide, goofy, tear stained grins. She was the one who carried all those expectations and hopes of all of us who hoped that the hometown kid could muster up a little more magic in those spikes of hers to thrill us one more time and give us all something to feel really good about once again. She didn’t disappoint us either. “Katie always rises to the moment!” How could we ever repay her for all those thrills? But of course it wasn’t just Katie, it was all of those athletes competing in that stadium that weekend who are somehow compelled to do such heroic things in front of us, not just in victory, but in the very act of competing on that national stage.

Still, after the immediate thrill and excitement of the event subsided, the crowd, as a whole wasn’t satisfied. There was a need for yet another release of emotion and approval. There was too much unresolved excitement and enthusiasm for what Katie did and how she did it. There needed to be another outlet, another means of resolution for all of the good feelings and pride and approval that was still welling up inside of us. The release we needed came about a half hour later when Katie was formally introduced as the 2012 NCAA National Champion in the 1,500m. Earlier, the deafening sound of that cheering crowd during those thrilling and heart pounding seconds of that final stretch run was loud enough, but it didn’t compare to the ovation that came as Katie, now standing atop the podium as victor, as our own home town kid and now, our own National Champion. This ovation was more about appreciation, pride, and honor and yes, in many ways love for what Kate had offered us on that track that day and so many times in the past. Jordan Hassey of Oregon a great and dignified champion in her own right, after finishing third in the race, greeted the media and jokingly said “Well, this isn’t Hayward Field.” Jordan was right and while she has had her own thrilling moments on that other famous track in Eugene in front of all her people, she respectfully stepped aside to give Katie her due on her home field in front of her own people, at least for this race.

It’s true running around a track might not seem like a big deal and it isn’t really compared to all the other more important things that happen in the world, but for a few thousand people in that stadium witnessing it all in person and the scores of others who watched on TV, it was at least kind of important and meaningful to us for awhile. There was something about a young woman’s race around a track on a sunny and glorious day that managed to make everything else fade into the background, at least for four minutes and thirteen seconds, as we all just enjoyed and felt somehow connected to someone performing so heroically and so perfectly. Yes it is true, there are more important things happening in the world, but on that day, the final for the NCAA women’s 1,500m race was kind of important to us.

Later that day I talked with Katie’s sister, Betsy, and she told me that from time to time people still bring newspapers and photos of she and Katie from back when they ran together in high school and they ask her to sign them. Betsy is no stranger to these magical moments on this blue track. She’s had plenty of those victorious moments and while too many people might get caught up in times and statistics or the “what have you done lately?” true fans are more attentive and remember more about the person and how that person handles themselves and how they go about their business than their actual times and places.

Betsy and I talked about why people now, even four years later, are still caught up in what she and Katie did together on that track “back in the day.” It is puzzling sometimes and hard to explain why people react to things like races and athletes the way they do.

Part of it might be a person's wanting to savor something that is somehow symbolically good, inspiring and wholesome. It might be partly due to someone wanting to somehow be connected to the athletes involved, not so much for what they have done, but in the manner in which they do it and the person they are. No one wants a creep’s autograph and not many fans seek out the arrogant or the selfish. For the most part people seek out their heroes and their champions, those they look up to and admire. I imagine that’s why people want Betsy and Katie to sign those old photos and programs.

Betsy and I also talked about how happy we were that day after Katie’s race, how neither of us could imagine such happiness. It’s true; we are so blessed to have experienced such moments. I explained to Betsy, that there were many times I felt that way during and after the things she did as an athlete and wondered if I’d ever feel such joy, pride, mirth and love again as a coach or a fan. I have been blessed to experience so many more moments and feelings like that since Betsy and Kate’s high school days watching them “do their thang” through high school and on into college on that magical blue oval.

I am always reminded of the announcers who called of the famous 1964 Olympic 10K finals when Billy Mills courageously outkicked the field to win in dramatic fashion. The announcers’ emotion, their unbridled joy and jubilation they felt and conveyed as they called Billy Mills’ finish is something that I, and many coaches and fans have felt at

some point in their life. Just listen to their excitement and try not to be moved by their passion and pure joy. I think that’s why coaches coach and why fans follow their heroes, because they know what those announcers felt and they know that excitement only comes over following and supporting the people they care about and yes, even love.

So what happened on that Saturday morning, on that blue track during that race? Well, a young and courageous group of women poured their hearts and souls into running for 1,500 meters and allowing us to be a part of it even in a small way. But there was one who rose to the moment just ahead of the rest. On her home turf and front of all her people and fans she gave us something all to feel great about.