Dear Editor,

I am a student at CHS and I wanted to take a minute to talk about the Clarkston track and field program and the impact it has had on me.
I have grown so much stronger mentally and physically since the season started, because not only does track teach you how to tough it out in the middle of a race, but it also teaches you how to handle failure in a constructive way.
After a bad race, my coaches talk to me about what went wrong and how we can remedy it- modeling a valuable life skill that can be used far beyond the scope of high school track.
Track has also helped me gain more confidence in myself that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I have struggled with depression for a long time, and sometimes it can be very difficult to convince yourself that you can be good at something and worthy of success.
Before this season, I was reliably JV, but I put in the time and effort over the last two years to become a varsity runner and consequently have the times to prove it. Seeing myself be successful at something I’ve been working at for so long has greatly improved my self-image and allowed me to carry that confidence to other areas of my life.
Track practice has truly given me something to look forward to after school each day and I couldn’t be more grateful.
I want to thank the CHS track and field coaches, Coach Breen, Jason, Franz, Keith Van Goor, Annie Van Goor, Roland, and Grable for all of the time and energy they have committed to the CHS track team, and I want to emphasize to the Clarkston community the continued importance of supporting your local sports teams so that your students can continue to be uplifted and do something they enjoy.
Running is not always an easy sport, and when your legs are burning with no finish line in sight until the last hundred meters, it can be hard to remember why exactly you signed yourself up for this.
And that is exactly the beauty of this sport – YOU choose to show up and YOU choose to keep going.

Sincerely,
Annie Lemieux
Clarkston