New Readers Are Here: A Primer on Our Group

First off, welcome everyone.  This blog is for you.  "You" being anyone interested in Penn State Track and Field or Cross Country in addition to pedestrian Physics topics, ridiculous stories, videos and generally worthless shenanigans.  It's all here, rolled up into an incomprehensible blob, er blog. Come back every day, click on some ads once in a while (we'll make some money for the group some day!), tell your friends, submit some stories, photos, videos or critiques, vote in our polls, order an alumni singlet, browse our own group store (again eventually we'll make a few bucks for the group!), and have some fun looking back in the archives.

The "Golf" part is always optional and anyone associated with us in any way is a "golfer" like us.  The Golf means we are a group that sprang from the mind of Clark Haley in 2002 as a way of honoring Coach Groves and thanking him for all he did for many of us.  It started as a little golf tournament on the Blue Course among friends of his who all ran for Coach Groves back in the 80's.  I was dragged along by my brother-in-law Gary Black, kicking and screaming, if I remember right (which I often don't do!).  I had absolutely nothing to do with the event for the first 6 years or so, but I showed up and created divots and apologies for my horrid skills once a year anyway.  I was always in second place, ever hopeful of getting my name etched on the Harry Groves Cup.

We had a big year in 2006 when Coach Groves retired, 11 foursomes (again, if I remember correctly!). But then the very next year we couldn't fill out 3 foursomes and our mood was diminished.  We still had fun and told jokes,tall tales and Coach Groves was tickled anyway.  There was talk of having the event every other year or every four years.  I didn't want that to happen.  All once-a-year golfers know what I'm talking about.  What would happen to my golf bag in the back of the garage after 4 years, when it's virtually unrecognizable after just 1?

I was toying with starting a blog anyway; I needed to get some of the thoughts and musings out of my head, as I had filled it up and was stagnating in both thought and deed.  So I made the blog up one day a month or two prior to the 2008 Tournament and have been at it ever since.  I added the "Golf" at the end so as to not confuse anyone who would think I'm anything Official in any way. I'm just a second-string ex-runner who had the time of my life at PSU competing and training under Coach Groves.  I'm delighted at the reception I have been given by the Track Program and strive every day to make them the most desired destination for any talented High School Track and Field Athlete out there.  I hope that someday, the parents of the next Jesse Owens, or Carl Lewis (or Horace Ashenfelter or Greg Fredericks!) will look at our blog and our Alumni Group as the final piece of the puzzle in choosing PSU over everyone else.  Anyone paying attention will realize I'm deadly serious about that, patient and unrelenting in the pursuit.  I'm just doing a small part of it.  If each of us does a little part, we will become the most active and largest Track Alumni Group in the World.  I have no doubt.

I lost the mirth there for a moment (The Mirth is Required!), so here's a video of the succinct and ever-teaching Coach Groves addressing the crowd at the Saturday Dinner.