FINAL RELAY TEAM: POSSIBLY THE BEST EVER

For the end of relay month, I simply had to recognize the most famous of all the relay teams in school history.

In 2003, these four became the FIRST Western Mass team to win a State Championship, and the first team in school history (that I know of) to secure such a title.

We had gone to an MSTCA event for the very first time earlier that season and beat Marlboro in the 4 x 200 meter relay at the Girls Invitational. It was our first exposure to the big time.

So when we returned for the State Meet later in the year, we felt pretty good about ourselves in the Championship race...our main competition was Algonquin Regional.

We had the then NEW Western Mass 600 meter champion leading off (mostly because she had difficulty taking a baton, but also she would run leadoff and stay with the leaders!).

She handed off to the Western Mass 55 meter dash champion, who we knew would put or keep us in a terrific position.

From there our 3rd leg was a finalist in the 300 meters that was interfered with during that race with a "hacky sack". but still managed to place. She also held the freshman record in the Outdoor 200.

The anchor was money. 3rd place in the Western Mass. 55 dash as well as the current school record holder in the pole vault.

FOUR of the best athletes of ALLTIME!

They are currently immortalized in our trophy case.

Cortney Bowen (Energizer Bunny) Birtwell - Undefeated that year in all dual contests. State Champ on the Soccer team. Undefeated Indoors and Undefeated Outdoors. She and Christiana Racicot are the only people in East Longmeadow School history to go an ENTIRE year without losing! (1 tie in Soccer).

Kara (Storm) Budd - School record holder in the 55,100, 200, 300 hurdles, Indoor triple, and long. Only our own Paige Suse out jumped her in the high jump. 2 time athlete of the week, and her 4 x 1 relay team STILL has the school record.

New England runner up in the long jump and Champion in the triple. State champ in the 55 and 200 meter dash.

Currently a member of the ELHS Hall of Fame.

Beth Kineavy (Tugboat) Honecker - Part of that school record holder currently in the 4 x 100. Still holds the freshman records in the Indoor AND Outdoor 200. Two time State Champion in the 4 x 200. Western Mass. Champ her rookie year in the 4 x 100

Erika Graham Sharp (Teddy Graham) - Was a two time bronze medalist in the 55 dash. School record holder in the Pole Vault and at one time was part of the school long jump relay team that won Steele's and the McIntyre (New England) Relays. One of the best leaders I ever worked with and currently a member of the East Longmeadow Sports Hall of Fame.

I shall post the video of this at some point in the future. It was an amazing race to watch, as we led from start to finish.

STORM, TUGBOAT,TEDDY GRAHAM, ENERGIZER BUNNY

MEET COACH VAL

So unfortunately without having a season this year, I at least wanted to find a old picture of Coach Val.

She was our throws Coach back around 2007 and worked with several really good shot, disc and javelin throwers.

Our group of Girls that reported to her became known as VAL'S GALS!

She is a superb Coach that actually competed in Scotland and brought a lot of team unity to us!

CHANNEL 22 ATHLETES OF THE WEEK IN THE WRONG EVENT

So way back when, we had a relay team that simply dominated in the 4 x 200 at Western Mass.

They helped us earn our very first TEAM title. An unbelievable team that took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the hurdles IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET! Sorry Coach Gorman, we swept your participant that day in the finals.  A picture tells 1000 words.

The funny thing is that I was TOLD by a grandparent that we could not win without her grandaughter ( who had missed several practices without excuses at the end of the season). WRONG!

Our plan was to build a house that day. For those of you that have been to our pre-championship meetings, you will understand that we "create" that daybefore  and then "implement" the next.

So after some great performances, we decided to go on to the States and win that relay again, we were the #1 seed, and I knew there was no way anyone could beat us.

In a way, we ended up beating ourselves.

You are supposed to check in prior to the race. We FAILED to do that. WHAT?  WHY?

It's a long story, but I am going to tell it anyway.  Our Western Mass Champion Long Jumper was jumping in the State finals and was unable to make the call. Our Western Mass. Champion High Jumper was also our school record holder in the 600 dash. There was an error at the table and she was called down to the arena to secure the correct medal (better place!) in the 600.

So where were the other two?  watching their team Captain in the finals of the jumps and missed the call.

We were OUT of the 4 x 200. Too late to be added. Now Coach Budd was EXTREMELY ANGRY!
(not that I get angry often, but the stakes were incredibly high, you see).

I went up to the table in the gym to see what I could do, and I was offered the opportunity to have these four run in the 4 x 400 relay, but it meant I had to bounce the four I had previously registered.

OH WELL!

I think these four were probably upset AND scared, but their "punishment" was that they were going to run. They were four of the best athletes we had ever worked with.

CANDACE "CANDO" KASPER

KAYLA "KILLER" RYBACKI

MAYA "FLOJO" RHINEHART

ALI "BOOMAYAY" McMAHON

They were running that day, regardless. My daughter was there and told me, that was the right thing to do. So they ran...possibly in fear, but WHATEVER! Time to make the donuts!

They took 8 seconds off the school record that day and qualified for the All-States!

In the 4 x 200, they would have made it, but could have been dominated by Boston area teams, instead they went there (ALL-STATES) in the 4 x 400 and then took another 4 seconds off their new school record, thus earning a spot at NEW ENGLANDS! Channel 22 came down and named them athletes of the Week.

Well earned, much deserved,  and completely unexpected...by the way they brought the time down another two seconds. Still the fastest 4 x 400 Indoors OR Outdoors ever at our school!

ALL-STATE FINALS 2011

Lost again to Sprint City (Hingham), in two weeks they took 14 seconds off the school record, BUT, MOST IMPORTANTLY -  I wasn't mad no more...

MULTIPLE SCHOOL RECORDS IN RELAYS

Sometimes a relay team comes together at precisely the right time.  Injuries and other things always seemed to prevent us from putting together another Dream Team Indoors. Another sport prevented us from keeping this team together throughout the Outdoor season.

Yeah, one of these folks played that funny game with sticks in the Spring.

Surprisingly, not all four of these folks ran Cross Country together. Well, maybe NOT surprisingly.

One of the weaknesses we have as a program is that not everyone buys into the sport right away.

This was evidenced my first year here, when I noticed two superbly talented distance runners that made a huge difference, that were committed to Soccer, then realized that they were suited to become far better performers as distance runners.

Those two ended up being a great one-two punch for us and BOTH went on to become physicians!

Kathleen Wicks and Shannon Brennan...SPARKPLUG and CLUTCH!

I understand if  someone has a passion for a sport, but once you find out you're superior at ours, you really should consider changing unless your are even BETTER at another one.

We have had more than our share of people come out of our program and end up competing collegiately. One of them this year became an ALL-AMERICAN ( Ashley CORKY Corcoran).

The mistake is when a coach tries to take, say, a really explosive type of individual and attempt to convert them. Now you are creating conflict in their energy systems and their natural twitch muscles.

Each one of these runners was originally scheduled to run in the sprints (and did) as Freshman. None of them were established distance runners. 

But with time and observing them in practices as well as competitions, they gradually moved into Middle Distance and Distance.

By 2016, they were collectively Western Mass Champions in the 4 x 800, and State Runners Up in the same event. Their time is the second best listed ever Indoors (only second to Holyoke Catholic, who is a traditionally powerful distance team).

What surprises me is that no one ever took video on them.

Here they are by name, and what they accomplished over their career:

Morgan Voight ( DMV): Current school record holder in the INDOOR and OUTDOOR Mile.

Also a member of the school record setting DISTANCE MEDLEY INDOORS. Currently runs for Quinnipiac.

Abby Laughlin (HAMMER) Current school record holder in the INDOOR and OUTDOOR 800.

Also the INDOORS DISTANCE and SPRINT MEDLEYS.

Abigail Rate ( ABBYCUS) Current school record holder in the INDOOR DISTANCE MEDLEY

Lauren Crum ( CRUM BABY) Current school record holder in the OUTDOOR 4 x 1600 meter relay

They also won a bet with Coach Matt Benoit that allowed them to color his hair ( I don't DO that stuff, you are SUPPOSED to break records, because that's my JOB to put you in position to do well)!

YOUR MOMENT IN TIME IS COMING

I am taking a few moments to address the entire team, but I do want to talk to each of you individually.

I am guessing that most of you are on school vacation, as I know that is how my son's school is handling this week.

My intent is to contact each of you individually to see how you are doing, and hope that you and your family are making the best of this situation.

If you like, after Saturday, I can continue to send you all workouts, but as you know we will not have any opportunity to compete this Spring. Let  Coach Morrissey and me know.

I am especially disappointed for our Seniors, who will not have an opportunity to shine for us once more. I truly believe that we have the best team in this Section, because of our experience, depth and the number of people we would have been working with. We certainly had a chance.

Coach Morrissey, Coach Gorman, Coach Sullivan, Coach Besser, Coach Kennedy, Coach Cowieson (which you all had no chance to meet yet), I want to thank all of you as well. I KNOW what each of you brings to the table.

I am equally frustrated...but we have to move on.

Focus your efforts on the things that you can control: Schoolwork, health, and being the good citizens that I know each and every one of you are.

I will still post some of our past relay teams as we go through April (since in this sport this month really IS relay month).

I shall be in touch with the boosters so see if there is anything they can do for you all. We have to be careful and allow the school district guide us.

I know I am going to miss a lot of you. For those that I have never had the chance to work with directly, I know you may be a little bit lost...but have faith.

I want to thank your parents for supporting you and trying to guide you through this challenging experience.

Don't be shy and do not be afraid to contact me if you need some sort of support. I don't have a lot of pull, but I can always try to find the answers you need.

You are all tough! We'll figure this out. Meantime, stay healthy, observe what those in authority are telling you to do, and we will all get through this, and be stronger in the process.

I want to dedicate this video to all of you so you know how I feel about you all and especially the last four years.

Coach Budd

FROM CAMPS TO CHAMPS

 There have been many members of the Spartan Summer Track and Field Camp to have flourished when they got to the school. 

Here are four from my Summer Camp that came directly from those camps to be honored as Champions individually as well as numerous times in a relay.

ALEXANDRIA " BOOMAYAY" McMAHON

KAYLA "KILLER" RYBACKI

MAYA "FLOJO" RHINEHART

AZI "GREEN LANTERN" AKPAN

The picture even lists the first year they won the 4 x 400 relay at Western Mass.

They repeated the next year as well.

Before this series ends, I will tell you an interesting story about them that I never thought would happen.

I happen to like the shirts because 1) they actually MATCH and two, they represent the World's Fastest Superhero. I like Star Wars, but I like Superheroes too!

These four WERE Superheroes!

RELAY TEAM WITH A STAR WARS CROSSOVER

Okay, so sometimes races remind me of Star Wars. I happen to be wired that way where EVERYTHING reminds me of Star Wars.

We had a relay race for the Western Mass. Championship and the final hand off looked eerily like a spaceship blasting out of the Death Star right before it was blown up.

ALL of the teams entered the last zone seemingly simultaneously and only ONE emerged first with their baton on their way to a title!

We had worked on that handoff all week long. I lost my mind trying to get them to do it right (some would say I never had a mind to begin with...fair enough).

Isabella "Itchy: Gamelli got the stick into the hand of McKenzie "Joker" Quigley and while everyone else struggled, we just jumped into hyperspace.

Now to best describe what it looked like by viewing the video...it's right before Lando Calrissian exclaims "YEE-HAW".

The participants on that team also included Pally "Taker" Borrello and Elizabeth "Knight Rider" Lizzy Knight.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of that team, but I do have one of the one the following year which includes Erin "Dilly Dilly" Lavelle.

Erin Dilly Dilly Lavelle,  Mckenzie "Joker" Quigley

Pally "Taker" Borrello, Isabella "Itchy" Gamelli

RELAY TO REVISIT THE 4 X 200

The 4 x 200 relay team had just won the Western Mass title in the event which clinched the 2012 Western Mass. Title.

They were undefeated.

Unfortunately, the leadoff runner was not going to attend the State Meet. 

WHAT?

There is never anything more disappointing than an athlete that can compete for the ultimate prize and then suddenly not appear to try and secure it!

The only thing that takes the sting out of it is when someone else steps up in an unfamiliar role and gives the maximum effort for the team!

Enter Red Robin, Gabby Weithofer. Gabby was never afraid of a challenge and never entered a contest without giving her all!

Of course she had some fairly good back up.

Sister Julia (Red Raven), who earlier in the year wiped out two Athol boys that got in her way and also was the champion of the long jump.

Candace (Kazbah OR Cando take your pick), who placed second in the 300 meter dash

And finally Erin (CSI) Rybacki, who had placed second in the long jump as well as the 55 dash.

The opposition was only the best in the State. SPRINT CITY, also known as Hingham HS and also Bishop Feehan who clearly had the best sprints coach and sprinting formula in the country.

To BE the best, you have to BEAT the best!

Well, they did not actually WIN the state title, but made it VERY INTERESTING! In the process they broke the school record which still exists today.

CSI, RED RAVEN, CANDO AND RED ROBIN

COACH GORMAN NAMED ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR INDOORS FOR MASSACHUSETTS

We interrupt today's relay information for a Spartan Service Announcement:

For the second time in his career, Dr. Gary Gorman has been selected as the Assistant Coach of the Year by the Mass State Track Coaches Association.

Coach Gorman came here several years ago after having worked with the Great John Goda of Holyoke Catholic and now of  Pope Francis.

Contrary to popular belief, Coach Budd did not steal him... or did he?

We have been very fortunate that over the past couple of years we have acquired two of the best assistant coaches possible. Coach Morrissey has turned out to be a diamond as well.

If we could get Coach Kennedy and Coach Besser full time, there would be no stopping us!

COACH GORMAN, K-ROD, JOKER & WILD 'N CRAZY

He has helped several hurdlers go on and win titles sarting with Shannon "Half Dolla Holla"Kennedy

 To Ashley "Corky" Corcoran

To Kayla "K-Rod" Rodriguez 

WHO'S NEXT?

RELAY CHAMPS/RECORDS 2019

To date, the last team to set a relay record at East Longmeadow High School is our Shot Put Relay squad.

They were led by Coach Morrissey and trained specifically to reset this event.

Let me backtrack.

In 1999, our FIRST school record set was by Julie Dunn, Melissa Rudzinski and Andrea Walker  (EL's FIRST UNOFFICIAL INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPION).

Collectively those three STILL hold the school discus record, so they were NOT slouches! In fact the team that finished first that year and beat them boasted TWO All -New England throwers.

We had several teams that were in place to challenge that, but for some reason or another, never got the three people together at the same time in the same place or season for a relay event.

Setting school records are NOT done on paper. Folks need to do the work and be present!

These three did it, and did so in such fashion, that they PLANNED on destroying the old record, then subsequently DID!

They are Olivia Calkins known as HAWAIIAN PUNCH: All Western Mass. second team Indoor this year in the Shot Put.

Hannah Black, who finished 6th overall in the All-State Championships Outdoors while setting the Outdoor Shot Put school record last year. We always called her JACK BLACK...I mean look at what she wears vs. what everyone else does! Always dares to be different.

Madison McMahon is without a doubt the best overall athlete in Western Mass last year. Besides being the second best shot putter in the section behind Hannah, she was the best High Jumper, Long Jumper, and Triple Jumper in the region. Had she pursued hurdles further, it is possible she would have seriously challenged our own Kayla Rodriguez (last year's champ). We always called her by her rightful name: SKYWALKER.

HAWAIIAN PUNCH, JACK BLACK, AND SKYWALKER

SCHOOL RECORD 4 X 200

We have had several 4 x 200 relay teams either win or finish in the top two Indoors.

Here are the ones that actually won the State Championship in 2005. We had a BOMB SQUAD that year. There is a video on it, but it's HORRIBLE.

Some say I took the video, but I do not recall, because I know where I was when I watched this relay. I was down  by the finish line and watched the whole race develop

We changed the order from the previous year because Cortney Birtwell graduated...she was the Western Mass champion in the 600.

We led off with Erika Graham ( the current Pole Vault record holder). Erika was a phenomenal 55 dash person that finished 3rd in Western Mass., and 9th in the State.

From there, we went with Beth Honecker who was also a terrific sprinter. More suited for the 300. At Western Mass., some FOOL was playing hackysack and almost hit her with it while she was running past!. I was ticked off, but I was not going to have her re-run the race by herself.

Third was Danielle Czaplicki. She was one of the least confident people I ever coached, BUT she finished second in the 600 at Western Mass, losing only to a girl from Longmeadow that ended up running for Brown University.

My strategy with her was put her third and have her IN the race, so that she would not have to THINK about anything but not letting the team down.

The anchor was the fastest girl to ever ear an East Longmeadow uniform. 2 time Western Mass champion in the 55 dash, and had just won the State title in the same event. She ended up finishing second in the all-states in the Long Jump and was NATIONALLY ranked: Kara Budd

THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE 2004 STATE TITLE

ERIKA, DANIELLE, BETH, & KARA

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS VIDEO HAS EVER BEEN SEEN..HOPEFULLY THE LAST!

GOTTA GIVE LOVE AND RESPECT TO THE BOYS ( BUT NOT TOO MUCH LOVE)

Here is the last championship team from the East Longmeadow BOYS team (yeah we talk about them once in a while too).

They still hold the STATE SECTIONAL RELAY RECORD.


Jacob Giard

Connor Ashe

Jourdan Powell

Eli Johnson

ELI, JOURDAN, JACOB and CONNOR

WESTERN MASS AND STATE CHAMPIONS

HAPPY EASTER

Our motto is "DEDICATED TO FINISHING FIRST", so I will assemble for tomorrow a FIRST ORDER relay team which I SHALL ANCHOR!

FIRST THREE LEGS

BUDDSTER

OUTDOOR LONG JUMP RECORD HOLDERS

For the longest time, the school record in the Girls Long Jump Relay was re-established in 2004.  Christine Graham, Erika Graham and Kara Budd held it, then they co-held it in 2009 when Jenise Everett, Ali McMahon and Erin Rybacki TIED it ( the latter three held both Indoor and Outdoor records simultaneously).

We tried to break it a number of times, but could not. UNTIL 2017.

Pally Borrello who is pictured here with the current school individual record holder, the legendary Devonia Long ( 18 feet 3 inches) is seen accepting her award after the Spartan Invitational.

We called her THE TAKER, because she would take the heart out of her opponents. She also excelled in the 100 dash as well as the Javelin throw. Her 4 by 100 relay team also won Western Mass.

Kelsey Chartier is also another member of this team. She was a sprinter and a part time hurdler, but we decided to focus solely on the long jump her senior year, and she did not disappoint as she won a State title in the Long Jump. This is a picture of her in college as I could not find any high school pictures of her...we called her THE PUNSTER, but apparently we should have named her CAMERA-SHY! She ended up competing for Westfield State.

Madison McMahon is the first and ONLY person in the history of this sport to win a sectional championship in the Long Jump, Triple Jump and the High Jump at the SAME MEET on the SAME DAY! This picture of her is from the last Spartan Invitational when she won the Dave Smith Awards: Took the Triple Jump and the Long Jump. We ended up calling her SKYWALKER. I guess you can all figure out why!

Their combined performance won the Steele Relays and helped us dominate in the field. 

REMEMBER that the sport IS Track and FIELD!

OUR FIRST EVER WESTERN MASS CHAMPION RELAY TEAM

East Longmeadow had never had a Girls Western Mass. Champion in a relay in their entire history.

I shall try to find the video of this as it was telecast in 2003 on WGGB-TV. I probably have it on VHS (what's that?)

We were tied for the number one seed in the 4 x 100 meter relay, and I had heard that this happened only one time before, but the team dropped the baton at Western Mass. 

PLEASE don't ever allow this to happen to us. We have been fortunate it has not happened during my tenure here.

We were placed in the wrong lane and when I tried to protest it, Mr, Dutille ( who was the starter) had already given instructions. So we ran from lane 8...which rarely ever produces a winner.

Christiana Racicot, who went by the name of XENA led off. She is the one on the far left. She also hurdled for us.

From there Erika TEDDY Graham took the second leg. She is currently our school record holder in the pole vault and Captained our team as well as Dartmouth College's.She is the one on the far right.

The third leg was held down by Beth Honecker.  We called her TUGBOAT as she was always tugging on my jacket. Ultimately, she was a stellar member of several superior relay teams we had.

The anchor is my daughter, who holds several individual records here as well as at UConn.We called her STORM, but she also answered to the name Kara Budd.  She went on to win New Englands in the Triple Jump, she won several State titles as well.

Each runner represented a different class of the school, XENA was the Senior, TEDDY a Junior, STORM was a sophomore and TUGBOAT was a freshman.

RELAY RALLY

Here is the tail end of the 2016 Western Mass. Indoor Championship video from of all places MASSLIVE!

We were selected to finish 6th because we had no stars on our team, but we hung tough to the end.

We had a 6 second deficit going into the last leg...then along came JILL QUICKSILVER" MURPHY..
running with the night.

We ended up finishing .31 seconds out of first, but we ended up doing our VICTORY LAP!

RELAYS: DOUBLE CHAMPIONS

There is SO much I could write about this relay team, but I shall do my best to keep it short.

This relay team not only won one major event, they won three. They also won different events in different seasons!  Not many can say that!

First up is CSI...also known as Erin Rybacki.

CSI has perhaps the quickest foot speed of most anyone I ever coached. She could JUMP, but she also could run. She was so fast, she could turn ou the lights and be in bed before it got dark.

She STILL holds the meet record in the triple jump for the Spartan Invitational. She also helped the Indoor Long jump team earn wins in the State Sectionals as well as the New England meets.

ERIN RYBACKI LED US TO A STATE SECTIONAL TEAM TITLE IN 2012

Next on the docket is BOOMAYAY, who also answers to the name Ali McMahon.

BOOMAYAY overcame a very severe injury at an Invitational in Easthampton, Connecticut while long jumping, and could not continue for two months. She ended up coming back a week before Western Mass...placed at the event, then scored at the All-States beating everyone that came from this region. It was remarkable, but not surprising giving her character. 

She still holds many records with us both individually as well as in relays.( Here as well as in college!)

ALEXANDRIA McMAHON WAS THE BEST ATHLETE INDOORS HER SENIOR YEAR

Last but not least is the leader of this group, MOUNT EVERETT, who we sometimes called Jenise Everett. She was such a big thing on campus, we named her after a school!  JENISE won Western Mass. individually in the Long Jump outdoors, but when our triple jumper went down with an injury at the Western Mass basketball tournament, we needed a new triple jumper: enter MOUNT EVERETT. All she did was win Western Mass in the triple and break the existing record that was held by our own Devonia Long. 

She led us to victory in the OUTDOOR LONG JUMP TITLE with record perfromances in the OUTDOOR TRIPLE JUMP and then the INDOOR LONG JUMP in record fashion: State Sectional and New England titles.. 

CHANNEL 22 ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: JENISE EVERETT BEAT 8 BOYS THAT DAY

WESTERN MASS TRIPLE JUMP RECORD HOLDER

RELAY MONTH: WINNING WESTERN MASS

I might have accidently erased this, but I wanted to make certain it was left up.

In this race we have leading off MORGAN (DMV) VOIGHT - a freshman replacement for Vivian Brennan who was injured.

Followed by ABBY ( HAMMER) LAUGHLIN - another freshman, but still earned the freshman record for ELHS's 600, which she still has.
.

Then a sophomore DANIELLE (JELLY) NAULT, who really was not a sprinter, but was a consistent runner throughout her career...of course NOW she is a Marathon runner.

Anchored by  Team captain GABBY (RED ROBIN) WEITHOFER, who said before the race, 'Why don't we just WIN it?"

In order to win Western Mass., we needed to win the final event, the 4 x 400.

My favorite part of the race is the finish, where she is totally exhausted and the team rallies around her in a circle, then they realize that they just had won their THIRD STRAIGHT Western Mass title.

I think as long as I shall live, that may be the one Track and Field moment I will never forget!

RELAY MONTH:SCHOOL RECORD HOLDER BIOGRAPHY #1

RELAY TEAMS

Because April is typically RELAY MONTH in Track and Field, I figure I can entertain folks by showing them some of the relay teams that have existed while I have been here.

First up is the school record holders in Outdoor High Jump.

Field event teams usually only have three participants while running relay teams four (an exception would be a 3 x 100 meter hurdle team.

The three folks I am celebrating today probably do not even realize that they still have a school record. Two of these folks have a second record or more.

Maria Jaroszewicz -  Her nickname was HOP-A-LONG CASSIDY. Most of the time I give siblings similar names as her older sister Magdalena was Butch Cassidy. She is the one that is applauding in the first picture.

Amanda Wolfenden - Her nickname was THRILLER. She also doubled as a hurdler. In the second picture she is jumping up and down as she had achieved her highest jump ever in the high jump 4' 10".

Lauren Raimondi - Her nickname was RAZOR. She ended up winning Western Mass. in the high jump while doubling up and finishing first in the high hurdles. She still has our school record in the 100 hurdles. If you go to the MIAA office, her picture is on the wall. She went to New Englands in the hurdles, then UMass Lowell. Recently, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame at East Longmeadow High School.

The trio won the Steele Relays in the High Jump Relay in 2007 with a combined distance of 14 feet 6 inches.

RELAY MONTH

APRIL IS RELAY MONTH THROUGHOUT THE TRACK AND FIELD WORLD.

I am going to put up pictures of relay teams or videos or just written commentary regarding relay teams I have been involved within the next 30 days. Some are record holders, some are champions, while still others I just need to say some words about. Most shall be members of the ELHS girls team. 

I was asked a few years ago, if I would talk about recent people the way I speak of those from the past.  I think I always will. Everyone has a story...here is mine.

Hopefully some shall inspire you. I will be putting up some relay team almost every day in April. This picture was taken at Forest Park during Cross Country season in the Fall of 1974.

This group is the team I ran on back in the day. Four of these in the picture are the 1975 Western Mass. 4 x 440 (mile relay) record holders. This is likely the only picture that exists of the four of us at the time. It was taken during Cross Country season. YES - I RAN Cross Country!

The guy in the hat was probably the brains of the operation, his name is Russ Ellsworth. Besides running third leg on our record setting relay team, he also held the 880 Western Mass. record.

Next was not on the team, but the following guy was Terry Drost. He was the second leg of the team and also an accomplished miler. He ended up the next season winning Western Mass in XC, just as Lauren Litscher of EL did in 2007.

The next guy was the 1975 Harambee superstar-winning the inaugural event. Believe it or not, he wasn't fat like he is today! He ran the anchor on the team, so supposedly it was all on his shoulders.

He still has his high school record in the 600 and 300...but his school is closed. Yes this is Springfield Technical High School's Coach Budd. 

The next guy was not a member of the relay, but the final guy was the lead off. His name is Ben Money. He always gave his best and helped us go undefeated in dual meets in Massachusetts. The only time we lost was at the All-State Championships.

I guess no color film existed back then and we ran in yards not meters.