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XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

Regionals Meet XC Times Editorial Board

The Women’s Race Get ready for a fast and frisky day today!

Our women are “amped up” and read for a fight! Happy, healthy and hungry is the best way to describe our team. To quote the great sports announcer Keith Jackson, “The hyperbole is done and now we can play the game!” In other words, it’s time to stop talking about it and now let’s do it! .

We will have our best seven in our starting box, lead by Sadie Timms who is looking to go sub 23:00. Courtney Neuendorf also is feeling great and ready to challenge the field and the clock. Our three through seven runners are a major part of what has made our team so complete this season. The emergences of freshman Emily Burchett as a steady scorer has been groomed and pushed by Shelby Hunemiller and Mary Wood. Ashlee Litterer has made a brave and bold comeback from an injury and has had great workouts this past two weeks.

“Champions know how to finish!” –Jordan Hasay

Men’s Race Coming off our best race of the year, I'm confident our men can run even better as we gear-up for the NCAA DIII Central Region cross country meet this Saturday in Northfield, MN. Our men have had two outstanding weeks of preparation, and are prepared to finish this season off strong. Led by our two all-conference performers and Ian McKenzie and Jonathan Facio, our men are excited to move up in the region. Looking to bounce back from a tough race is Trey Thompson. With those three racing, up front doing their jobs, and the depth of Kyle Hovey, Tyler Combs, Levi Lefebure, and Seth Nostrala our men are ready to move up in the region. We placed 13th last fall and are aiming to finish higher this year.

It has been an absolute joy coaching these fine young men, and I'm excited to see them race one more time together.

XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

Behind the Ropes “Chapters”

By Deb Simms Chapter 1: We were a family of 4 and after 11 years we added this little blond hair, blue eyed bundle of energy to our crew. We were an active family the boys 11 and 14 were involved in all kinds of activities so Sadie had little choice but to be dragged along. She was perpetual motion whenever a River Dance commercial came on TV she broke into dance. I knew we had to find an outlet for this active little munchkin and we discovered Tumble Bugs. Sadie took to it like a duck to water. By the age of 8 she was spending 20 hrs. a week in the gym. She was able to participate in soccer because her dad was her coach and scheduled practice around her gymnastic schedule. She competed in gymnastics until in 5th grade she suffered a shoulder injury but she was not ready to throw in the towel. Quit has never been a part of this girl’s vocabulary. After much gut wrenching soul searching, lots of tears and physical therapy it was determined in 6 th grade it was not in Sadie’s best interest to continue participating in this sport.

As a Parent we all agree we want our kids to be “Happy, contributing members of society”. When kids start to suffer disappointment it can be heart breaking and challenging. We look to others to help us through these bumps in the road and throughout Sadie’s running experience there have been many “helpers” along the way.

Chapter 2: 7th grade was a difficult year. Finally at the end of the school year there was an announcement, “Anyone interested in going out for Cross Country in the fall please come to the gym for a short informational meeting”. The announcement piqued her interest. She came home all excited….“Mom I think I’m going out for Cross Country in the fall!” My first thought was “Oh my god I’m pretty sure cross country is more than a mile” (and she doesn’t even like running a mile) and second was telling her “Sadie I hear cross country is a lot of fun”. For once in my role of being a parent I hadn’t blurted out the 1st thought that had come to mind. A real breakthrough for me.

Chapter 3: Fall of 8th grade she came home from practice all excited. She was running with a 7th grade boy named Thomas Pollard and the coach had been impressed. Her 1st meet went well.

Mr. Pollard came up and told me she showed great potential. Her brothers were shocked her father and I had not bought her a pair of racing spikes! We thought running shoes were running shoes (the beginning of a steep learning curve for us) her brother took her to Des Moines shopping for her 1st pair of running spikes. She had a successful 1st year lots of fun and success so her running career was starting off with a bang! (continued)

XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

(“Chapters” by Deb Simms, continued) Chapter 4: After 8th grade I remember thinking maybe we needed to find someone to work with her a little since we basically knew nothing (not even the kind of shoes needed) about the sport of cross country. We found a former ISU runner from England who was working as a personal trainer at our local health club. He worked with Sadie on a few things before going back to England. I remember her 1 st high school race asking her what coach Mr. Thomas told her about race strategy. She told me “He said to go out with the group and when I feel comfortable run my race”. I remember the gun going off and Sadie taking off like a shot.

Sophomore year was her most successful she was State Champion for Class 2A. As much as she loved Cross Country she also LOVED soccer. Sadie’s sophomore year the school was going to allow her participate in Track and Soccer. Her wish was becoming a reality unfortunately sometimes we have to be careful what we wish for as this “experiment” ended up becoming a misfortune as one of her teammates stepped on her foot in practice and this became the 1 st of 3 broken feet! Senior year was lots of fun and very emotional. They had a great team and the team took home the State Championship for class 2A. Sadie has always said this Championship was more special to her than her individual championship because she had the others to share the honor with.

We learned a lot those 1st 5 years. What we enjoyed most was finding out cross country is probably the single most inclusive sport out there. EVERYONE who wants to gets to participate. Everyone’s goals may be different. For some the goal is winning, for some it’s improving their personal fitness or time and for others is just being part of a team and this was what we appreciated most.

Chapter 5: For your young adult to choose where to go to college is stressful. When your daughter/son is choosing not only where to go but where can I go and still participate in the sport I love it’s doubly stressful. Her Dad and I assumed different roles. Sadie and Leo took the lead in looking at the athletic side of things and made initial visits and then Sadie and I checked out some of the finer points. Simpson turned out to be a great fit for her. It had the academics (which we all agreed had to come first). We want our kids to love learning. We want them to value knowledge and stay curious. Based on our conversations about her classes and her internship experiences we feel Simpson has helped her achieve this.

Being part of the athletic and music communities she has made friendships. We want our kids to enjoy friendships. We feel her time at Simpson has fostered this. Through their community service experiences Simpson has promoted giving back. Simpson allowed her to pursue her love of music. Something a larger institution told us would not be possible. Her participation in the annual Lessons and Carols performance has become a family favorite tradition. As her career at Simpson winds up we’ve had our ups (her coveted All Conference award) and downs (a 3 rd broken foot!) but I think we all agree she’s had a successful 4 years.

Our hope for Sadie is that over the years with her successes and struggles she has learned that happiness is not all about “being the best”, overachieving and competition. We hope she has learned to trust her instincts and understand there are many definitions of the words smart and success.

By being a part of a team over the last many years we hope the lessons she has learned about how to take responsibility, how to compromise, how to handle challenging situations and how to give back to the community are lessons she has had reinforced while at Simpson. Through her education at Simpson in Exercise Science she plans to pursue a career working with people who have challenging health issues and using exercise to optimize their quality of life. She believes the Steve Job’s quote that “The only way to do great work is to love what you do”. She’s graduating a semester early, planning a wedding (December 22), has been accepted to graduate school at Carroll College in Waukesha WI and is looking forward to starting married life on a mission trip to Chinandega Nicaragua. Our little ball of energy is all grown up and ready to begin Chapter 6.

XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

“Refelection From a Cross Country Dad”

By Leo Simms

Cross country! A word and sport that seemed so distant until Sadie’s 8th grade Gilbert middle school decision to make it part of all our lives.

We embarked on this incredible journey and experience that culminates in her Simpson College senior year and her team’s NCAA regional meet this weekend.

While it was very rewarding and fun to experience and share in Sadie’s high school cross country career and accomplishments, it was really watching the impact of the sport and lessons it conveyed to both Sadie and all of us that has made a lasting impact. Certainly the individual hard work and dedication coupled to personal and team achievements (and sometimes setbacks and injuries), yet the striving for excellence and that PR, whether female or male or first or last in a race was truly inspirational. I was always amazed at the “family chemistry” of the team where everyone cheers and embraces each other, including members of other teams. But this also flowed to parents and crowds with the same sense of helping one another (remember being a newbie XC parent figuring where to go during a meet) and a common shared sense of accomplishment and pride in all participants. As an avid sports fan, I was enthralled with a sport where everyone achieved and cheered for a common goal with so much fun (and no referee)!

While Sadie looked and visited many colleges and programs our first visit to Simpson was quite evidence of the spark in her eye and her clear choice. What a great choice and amazing journey with experiences and success in academics, arts, and athletics, but more importantly in life skills and friendship. While college XC was very different (from an intense training perspective to fewer yet intense races and less parents), the same team passion and bonding and sense of community across everyone at meets was heartwarming. But this “team family” (athletes and coaches) has been shared with all of us and I too have made great friends and enjoyed interacting, cheering, and even hugging many (even though it took 4 years for me to get some names straight). While you have all accomplished great things, I have benefitted greatly. I thank Sadie and all of you for helping me learn some great life lessons, make friendships, and have fun along the way and wish the greatest success to her and all my Simpson XC friends! Go Storm!

XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

In the Chute Ian McKenzie

While preparing for my final NCAA regional cross country meet this upcoming Saturday in Minnesota, I have begun to think about all that has happened this season. All the miles, morning workouts, and circuits that have prepared us to run our very best race this weekend. The regional races will be the biggest test our team has faced all year. The competition will be tough but the Storm is prepared and ready to fun fast!

One of the things that I have reflected on the past few weeks is what motivates me, but I haven’t been able to come up with a concise answer yet.

Mostly because there are many things that motivate me and inspire me. The biggest motivator I have is my teammates.

Every practice everyone shows up and works hard to achieve the goals that we set out during the summer. It is easy to run hard knowing that everyone else doing the same. The second motivator that I have is myself. I need to prove it to myself and to others that I am capable of much more then what is expected. The third motivator that I have is all the people that have helped me get to where I am. Words are not adequate to express how thankful I am for the special people I have in my life.

I am so thankful to have been able to run for Simpson the past 4 seasons of cross country. All the friendships and relationships I have made here will last a lifetime. Knowing that I am a part of something bigger is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. One quote that has carried me through my career is from the poem “The Charge of Light Brigade” and it goes like this “Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die, Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.” We will not make reply, nor will we reason why, but the Simpson Storm will run their fastest into the valley of death!

XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

Meet the Coach Keith Ellingson My time working with the distance running program at Simpson College (Track/Cross Country) spans over 30 years beginning in 1986. During this time, I have filled the role of head coach of both men and women, assistant coach for both as well as that of a parent of a member of the women’s team. Certainly 30 years is a long time that has allowed me to observe the distance running program from varied perspectives. As your college selection process hits full speed I wish the best of luck and believe you will find that Simpson College will provide you every opportunity, across many perspectives, to have a great educational experience.

As a runner, I was fortunate to run in a very competitive high school program at Decorah High School running on three state championship teams. My college running years were cut short due to back problems my senior year but prior to my senior year I was selected Most Valuable Performer of the 1977 Iowa Conference Championships as a junior after tying for first place. Post college running I won the Iowa City Hospice Half Marathon in 1:09.18 and placed 39th in the Twin Cities Marathon in 2:27:36. I stayed active with my running until continued back trouble made running a real challenge. Running has played a major role in the many life experiences that I have had. I believe that the academic and athletic programs at Simpson will both challenge you and nurture you for growth and success during your time here. Meeting new people and traveling to meets around the country are just two of the many benefits of the program at Simpson.

Even though I have been active in cross country since 1971 I still learn things every day and every season. It is always fascinating to learn about the student athletes that make up your team. Where they went to school, academic field, years of running etc. along with goals for college. In addition, I learn daily from the quality coaches that work with the cross-country program at Simpson. My daughter Catie graduated in 2012 from Simpson and benefited tremendously from her 4 years at Simpson in both cross country and track. A competitive schedule along with good coaching were keys to her success as an athlete. The Simpson experience was a great match for her.

In closing I wish you the best of luck in all that you do. I hope you give Simpson every consideration as you proceed through the college selection process. If I can be of any assistance let me know.

XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

We Love our Seniors Women Lauren Beckman Mandy Brown Courtney Neuendorf Kelsey Roquet Lesley Roquet Men Kyle Hovey Ian McKenzie

Our Next Meets Saturday November 18th NCAA National Championships Elsah, IL 11:00am

Simpson Storm X-Country FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK and Twitter

XC Times November 11, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

Competed Teams at Today’s Central Regional

MEN Augsburg University Bethany Lutheran College Bethel University Buena Vista University Carleton College Central College Coe College Concordia College-Moorhead Cornell College Crown College University of Dubuque Grinnell College Gustavus Adophus College Hamline University Loras College Luther College Macalester College Martin Luther College University of Minnesota-Morris Nebraska Wesleyan University North Central University (Minnesota) Northland College University of Northwestern-St. Paul Simpson College (Iowa) Saint John’s University Saint Mary’s University St. Olaf College College of St. Scholastica University of St. Thomas Wartburg College University of Wisconsin-Superior

WOMEN Augsburg University Bethany Lutheran College Bethel University Buena Vista University Carleton College Central College Coe College Concordia College-Moorhead Cornell College Crown College University of Dubuque Grinnell College Gustavus Adophus College Hamline University Loras College Luther College Macalester College Martin Luther College University of Minnesota-Morris Nebraska Wesleyan University North Central University (Minnesota) Northland College University of Northwestern-St. Paul Simpson College (Iowa) College of Saint Benedict St. Catherine University Saint Mary’s University St. Olaf College College of St. Scholastica University of St. Thomas Wartburg College University of Wisconsin-Superior

Men’s 8K Course 2K

4K

1K/7K

1 MILE

START FINISH

2 MILE

3K 4 MILE 3 MILE

5K

Men's XC Course 6K

2K 4K 6K 8K

Women’s 6K Course

1K/5K

3 MILE

1 MILE

START FINISH

2K 4K

Women's XC Course 1 Mile

2 MILE

2 Mile 3 Mile Finish

3K