Thursday, November 13, 2014

"Hi In The Middle and Round On Both Ends"

Which is something teammate Tom Rapp once told me about his home state.



I can't imagine someone more qualified to have become a high school cross country coach than Tom.  Not just because he was a tremendous high school champion and All-American at Penn State.  More important to me was the character that the man obviously had from a very young age.  I think Tom would be quite pleased to know that I paid attention and still aspire to the ideal he set on a daily basis. And I still remember the sunrise Easter service we attended after a Ziggy "10-miler" at 5:00AM when we were Sophomores.

Tom coached the Division I Cross Country Team Champions (Mason High School)  this past week at the Ohio High School Championships.

Thanks to our Morale Officer (I left off the rest of his title just to tick him off!) for the alert.  Now the pressure is on for this weekend's reporting!

2 comments:

  1. George,
    Thanks for sending me this blurb about Tom Rapp. All that was said about Tom is true and even more so. Tom is of the highest Christian character, coaches his athletes like he wanted to be coached, considers his athletes before himself, has very sound training practices and is excellent in the big meets. His plan from start to finish as well as from year to year is not only sound but exceptional. He has equal ability to coach the star as well as the last guy on the team, something I have heard about him on several occasions. Just like he was a two-time state championship runner, Tom is a two-time state championship coach. Bill Schneier

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  2. The Good Lord blessed Tom Rapp with infinite patience and a bottomless well of kindness. He knew that someday Tom would be working with young, immature minds that would be willful, stubborn, dumb, thoughtless, unfocused, goofy and dumb(did I say dumb?). That is why God put it in Coach Grove's heart to assign Tom to be my freshman roommate. Perfect training. LTM

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