Written by Jacob Burrell. Media by Ryan Dunn.
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After most Greenville students had returned home for Easter weekend, the track & field team remained on campus to defend home turf at the Greenville College Select Meet. Before the competition, however,
Coach Brian Patton chose to focus on both the eternal significance of the weekend, and the importance of values and beliefs cultivated during a running career. On Thursday night, the whole team was treated to a movie in Hillsboro. Unbroken, a movie in which an Olympic athlete with great potential is captured as a POW in World War II, quickly set the tone for the weekend. Competitive running is an environment where trials of all types are met with camaraderie and courage and many on the team were able to identify with those sentiments in the movie.
On Friday, after a meal at Joe’s Pizza and Pasta, the team bore witness to some powerful testimony. Ariel Wright shared her story first, highlighting God’s assurance in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. A guest to the college, John Clark, took the stage next. His powerful testimony of deliverance, which came via humor and music, touched many a heart in the crowd. Finally, Bruce Gray delivered a stirring rendition of “Lean On Me.”
By Saturday, the whole team was more than prepared to rise to their potential. Following his musical performance on Saturday, Gray won the 100 and 200m Dash events. He also led a team of three freshmen to a 2nd place finish in the 4x100m Relay. Other scorers included Andrew Sharp, Nathan Allyn, Jonah Peoples, Jarrid Williams, and Dusty Atteberry. The men’s team finished 4th out of 12 teams.
Chelsea Gilles performed well on the ladies’ side, winning the 400m Dash and running in the 4x100m Relay (2nd place) and the 4x400m Relay (4th place). Taylor Willis, Alex Gregory, Iyeesha Deberry, Krissy Finley, and Merideth Tate also put points on the board for Greenville. The women’s team finished 5th out of 12 teams. The results can only show places and point totals, however; nothing can adequately convey the heart and spirit shown by all Greenville runners on Saturday. To borrow a quote from Treyvon Manning, “I saw more fight in people today than I have ever seen…I am so proud of everyone, it feels great to be a part of this team.”
