A Special New Year's Resolution

Thought you may want to read this. Enjoy...

P.S. We start spring practice January 14th. No need to rush since we don't start our indoor season until February 1. All the athletes have been working hard during the break and look forward to coming back in good shape.

A Strategy for Change in the New Year
January 8, 2008

Accept Responsibility for my life.
Our culture believes “Nothing is my fault.”
Galatians 6:4-5: “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.”

Believe I can change.
Nothing will happen in 2008 that you can’t handle. God can help you change.
Philippians 4:12-13: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Clarify what is really important.
“What do I value?”- make this your prayer list. “What do I want to change?”
Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 16:25: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death…the laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

Don’t wait to begin.
Do it know! Life must be enjoyed under imperfect circumstances. Live life to its fullest and don’t let less than ideal circumstances dictate a negative mood. Work to maintain a positive attitude in any and all situations!
Ecclesiastes 11:4: Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

Personal Development Goals for 2008
*Luke 2:52: Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and favor with men.

Intellectual: What do I want to Learn?
Proverbs 19:8: He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.
Physical: What will improve my health?
Proverbs 17:22: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Spiritual: What will deepen my relationship to God? – What one thing?...
1 Peter 3:17-18: It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the spirit.
Social: What will be my ministry to others?
1 Peter 4:10: Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides.
Ephesians 6:10: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Season of Life
A football star, a boy, a journey to manhood
By: Jeffrey Marx, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

The following excerpts are from a wonderful book that I was lucky enough to receive as a present for Christmas. I actually read it in about 3 days because it was so good. I want to share a few aspect of the book that I believe you might enjoy should you be reading this summary.

The following was written on a board prior to a football game the high school team was about to play. Prior to each game, the head coach lead a short devotional/lesson for his players to focus on the task at hand of making them men capable of treating others with dignity and respect at all times:

The decision.
A man…built for others.
A man…built for himself.
For those with no voice, no position, no privilege, no power, no authority, you be those things for them.
Seek justice.
Encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless.
Plead the case of the widow.

Joe Ehrdman, a former professional football player and a main character in the book (one of the football coaches and an ordained minister) offered his take on masculinity:

Joe’s code of conduct revolves around four “strategic masculinity traits” that form what he calls “the moral and ethical foundation” of a man built for others.
He accepts responsibility.
He leads courageously.
He enacts justice on behalf of others.
He expects God’s greater rewards.

On the concept of leadership, Joe said: “It’s gotta be based on some kind of moral, ethical foundation. You can’t just go with the flow in life. There’s a broad road and a narrow road, and you have to learn how to courageously stand up on some kind of foundation, some kind of principle, make decisions, be a leader, and go that way. It take courage to lead in the right direction…and especially at the age of the boys on our football team (high school). In the midst of all the peer pressure, the whole social setting, it takes tremendous courage to stick to the right values because they’re often gonna find themselves at odds with the rest of their peer group.”

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

I hope all is well with everyone reading this blog! I want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas (nearly over) and Happy New Year...

Be back soon...

2008 UIW TRACK SCHEDULE NOW POSTED

I have finished the uiw track schedule and it is posted on the uiw website.

Here it is:

Date Meet Location

February
1, 2 Houston Indoor Invite Houston
9 Houston Bayou Classic Houston
16 UH All-Comers Meet Houston
23 Trinity Invitational San Antonio


March
1 Border Olympics Laredo
7 Texas State Invitational San Marcos
14, 15 Indoor Nationals Mankato, MN
22 UT Invitational Austin
28, 29 Victor Lopez – Rice Univ. Houston


April
3, 4, 5 Texas Relays Austin
19 UT Twilight Austin
25 Rice Twilight Houston


May
9 ACU Last Chance Meet Abilene
22, 23, 24 Outdoor Nationals California

Track Team Christmas Party 2007!!!

Well, we decided to do something different for our XMAS party this year so Coach Bree and Coach Candace went to work earlier this week to put together a great party for the team. We are heading into finals this week so we wanted to send everyone off for finals and the break with a fun fellowship as a team.

Everyone had a good time (although about 20 people couldn't come for various reasons)...it seems as though we will have to make this type of inside party a tradition. The outside bar-b-ques haven't always worked because of weather and lack of things to do.

I am going to attempt to post some of the memorable pictures on this post. The others will be posted on facebook and our photobucket account. Once I have them posted to photobucket I will post the link to a post.

Team, good luck with finals. Let's go after that top GPA in the nation!
Everyone else (incoming freshmen, recruits, parents, family, friends, and anyone else reading this blog), have safe and happy holiday season and remember the reason for the season! :)

Until next time...

Thanksgiving in Abilene

This Thanksgiving Mary and I went to her parents house in Abilene. We were surprised to have a white Thanksgiving with over four inches of snow. Here's me with the snowman I made. This is the first snowman I have EVER made! Yes, it hasn't snowed in San Antonio since 1984 and I did make a snowman that year, but had help and I don't remember it much. I went to school in Abilene and every time it snowed my friends and I spent our time sliding down the hills around school. It never dawned on us to build a snowman! So, here it is...

A Poet Among Us...

I want to share this with people who read the blog. This poem was written by Yvonne Rodriguez. I had no idea that she wrote poems...pretty good from my perspective!

A SEASON TO BE THANKFUL

We share our laughs, we share our smiles.
We gather our thoughts, when we run those long miles.
We are all runners, and different in each and every way.
So hear my words and thoughts, for why I now pray.
This season is now over, the one and only that I will never forget.
At least now I can leave and not have any regrets.
I’m so thankful to have met each and every one of you.
Why this season turned out this way, no one knew.
Even though we tried to do the damn thing.
I hope you all know that I will always carry you all, under my wings.
We pushed each other and cheered others on.
It’s sad to say that it’s all gone.
I now pray to hold the good memories, and pray we will still be strong.
But wait I have one more thing to add, this won’t be long.
You all don’t know how thankful I am to be here.
Just thinking about it brings a teer.
There are so many things to say.
But maybe this could wait another day.
Please remember that everything happens for a reason.
And I hope to be seeing you all next season.
So share your thoughts to family and friends, and always remember to thank the Lord.
After all, this is the season to be thankful, so Happy Thanksgiving Incarnate Word.

-Yvonne

UIW is closed this week from Wednesday-Friday for Thanksgiving holiday. The distance runners are off this week as we transition to the track base building phase. We just finished two weeks of good base building as an active recovery transition from the cross country season.

Track practice is going well. We only have one day of practice this week - today as we give everyong time to travel home and spend time with family.

Here is our preliminary 2008 track schedule:

Date Meet Location

February
1, 2 Houston Indoor Invite Houston

16 UH All-Comers Meet Houston

23 Trinity Invitational San Antonio


March
1 Border Olympics Laredo

7 Texas State Invitational San Marcos

14, 15 Indoor Nationals Mankato, MN

22 UT Invitational Austin

28, 29 Victor Lopez – Rice Univ. Houston


April
3, 4, 5 Texas Relays Austin

19 UT Twilight Austin

25 Rice Twilight Houston


May
9 ACU Last Chance Meet Abilene

22, 23, 24 Outdoor Nationals California

Some things might change in the next few weeks as I wait approval from certain meets. This should be the schedule for the spring.

Until next time...

Shayn Weidner Blog on Track Shark

For those of you that may be interested, Shayn now has a blog entry on Track Shark.com. Go to www.trackshark.com and then blogs in the upper links. Once in the blogs scroll down until you see Shayn's picture (beard with a red jacket).

Track Shark Blog link: http://www.trackshark.com/blogs/home.php

He talks about his training, his thoughts on running, and life as a college distance runner.

In one of his latest entries, read his mathematical equation for converting cross training to running mileage to make sure you keep your mileage effort up while cross training.

I plan to publish the men's and women's track schedules by December 3 along with Spring track rosters for both squads. We will give the indoor thing a shot on an interim basis with the women's team as we work to see if it is feasible for our program. Most of the athletes don't ask about indoors and prefer to concentrate on the outdoor season. Most of the women will travel to the minimum required meets as will a few select men as we see if we can qualify anyone for the national championships in Minnesota.

In track, we are concentrating on strength and endurance right now with the sprinters and jumpers. They are working hard and struggling through some difficult workouts while we expand the aerobic base for the sprinters - something many of them have not done before. The extensive weight program and running seem to be paying off as they continue to get into shape for the spring season.