We Labored after Labor Day

It was all too obvious to me that the team was not ready for today's meet.  It's funny how I knew this, but there is a way which I ALWAYS can tell how we will perform:  The intensity of our pullouts from the starting line along with the team clap/huddle.  It's ALWAYS spot on, and today was no different.  We were just going through the motions and boy it it show today.  No fire as a team.  NONE.

Now, I'm not saying that some individuals didn't run well, far from it, there were some nice performances, but the standard we have set as a TEAM is yet to be matched.  We have MUCH work to do to rise to the level of tradition and excellence of past Panther teams.  And it's just not by showing up and/or putting on the uniform.  I think some team members sadly mistaken that just because we put on the uniform and run in the top 7 that the team is suddenly good.  WRONG.  Look at today's team scores.  We were spanked, and by some teams that rarely, if ever have beaten us in the past.

It's time to WAKE UP and realize that we have to work smart and well in practice each day, without excuses, and do the things that are important.  All the little things that this group is apparently taking for granted, from the warm-up, to the stretching, to the work to be done on a consistent basis.

So, if I sound a little more than perturbed about today's performance, I am.  Complacency is a word that is not part of my vocabulary nor part of my demeanor or fiber.  Never has been, never will be.  My job is to shake this word out of existence with many team members.

I told the team Friday's scheduled DQ Run is dependent on Wednesday and Thursday's performance at practice and the meet.  Let's see if the group decides to respond.