As it always happens, we begin the year with a much larger group than those that advance to the "Qualifying" meets. This year was no different, as the athletes pictured above are merely a fraction of the number of athletes that began the year. Nonetheless, they had qualified at the Adirondack Junior Olympic meet in Bethlehem, NY to advance to the Region 1 Junior Olympic meet at Mitchell Field in Long Island.
To qualify for the Region 1 JO's, an athlete must place in the top four positions at the Adirondack JO's. It is at such opportunities as this that athletes tend to rise to the occassion, and hopefully all that they had learned through the season begins to take hold, and their performances show the results of such discipline and consistent practice. As Head Coach of the Country Mills, Anthony Mills puts it like this, "You work all year on the disciplines of perfecting basic motor skill movements (though the athletes would prefer to get right to the fine skills portion), so that when the meet season arrives each athlete has a firm foundation on which to build and develop the numerous amount of fine motor skills necessary to separate themselves from the rest of the competition when it comes time for the qualifying meets."
All of the coaches agreed that one of the best things about working with the Country Mills Eagles, is the support of the parents for the athletes. Not only do they cheer for their own athlete(s), but they cheer for the team to do well, and that includes all of the athletes, regardless of skill level. Now it is time to move forward to the final meet of the year, the USATF National Junior Olympics in Mt. San Antonio College in Southern California.
Pictured Above: (Front Row) Kayla Owens, Mike Plewinski, Andrew Tatlock, Noah Moyer, Max Comer. (Middle Row) Sharon Plewinski, Jane Tatlock, Sharon Moyer, Lydia Crawford, Christina Comer. (Back Row) Brandon Mills, Coach Greg Owens, Terry Owens, Alan Tatlock, Coach Jason Moyer, Liz crawford, Doug Comer.
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