Remember The Goal | Full Movie | Allee-Sutton Hethcoat | A Dave Christiano Film

[Music]

are you our new coach

I remember the Orange Hills Academy

girls cross-country - yeah yes I'm your

new coach good afternoon ladies

my name is Courtney Smith Donnelly I'm

gonna be teaching biology and science

this fall I'll also be your new

cross-country coach this season it's

nice to meet you two quick questions

first who all here was on the team last

year please raise your hands everybody

nobody here's new know why no freshmen

in the middle school team wasn't very

good last year and none of the girls

wanted to run Plus nobody recruited them

I see you mind me asking but have you

ever coached cross-country before no no

this will be my first time by the way

how far is your race 5k okay okay how

far is that 5,000 meters 3.1 miles and

this is a high school team right all

right thank you good that is helpful

information this second question may

seem a bit premature but do you girls

seem to be a strong contender to win a

state knee this year we finished 10th

last year yeah eastern Valley killed us

Eastern Valley killed everybody you

finished 162 points behind eastern

Valley they've got four of their top

seven girls returning this year last

year you all had three freshmen to

sophomore as a junior and a senior in

your top seven which means that six of

you are back coach Holly was your coach

she was here for five years before that

program was run by coach Pratt who found

it in 1982 and ran until he retired

Lauren tells Academy is an all-girls

Christian school and a member of the

Private Schools Association but has or

one the state meet yeah which takes me

back to my question do you girls gonna

be a strong contender to win state me

this year well yeah okay one yeah

anybody else yes okay sounds convincing

enough for the state meet then we shall

train before I get your names and some

more information let's just take a

little jog here do a lot around the

field let me watch you run

let's go very easy okay okay let's go

[Music]

your name is Kristin Sims Kristin did

you in-state last year no I finished six

yeah I don't understand how you didn't

win state because of what you just ran

was easy when you're in hard it must be

pretty fast well I ran track in the

spring and I've been training since the

season ended so I'm in good shape all

right next time ask you to go easy just

go easy okay

all right girls gather up

one by one I want you to tell me your

name and grade Anna glass junior high D

Wilson junior Kristin Sims senior Shelby

Opel sophomore Kaitlyn van sophomore

Rebecca Shackleford sophomore junior hey

how was cross-country practice easy all

we did was run 30 minutes what do you

think in the new coach I don't like her

her yeah

dad she's right out of college never

coached before and she doesn't know what

she's doing

what yeah I felt like I was walking

today why didn't you pick up the pace

and make it a good workout I tried to

but she kept telling me to slow down

well if she doesn't know what she's

doing

you just do what you know no I will you

didn't count on it

what about Anna and the other girls they

were uneasy

I tried to get them to go faster but

they wouldn't why did Holloway have to

take that other job I miss him

and what's Prater doing hiring a rookie

well don't worry I'll have a talk with

your new coach

I'm telling you chase wants to ask you

out he does know hey yes he does

honest how do you know word gets around

well I can't even if he does why not

because my dad is not going to let me

date at 15 years old I know mine well

how come yours well that's mine doesn't

care what about you dad

he doesn't care either but my mom does

she cares about everything what she

thought you date no why not because I'm

only 15 see well I wish my dad cared how

come he doesn't I mean you know where he

lives

need i say more how long have they been

divorced too long do you see him often

not much two or three times a year does

your mom care about what you do sort of

but she's busy working and dating around

drunk cross-country and be successful

you need two things endurance and

strength so when the state meet we're

gonna one other thing that's time time

to train and build up to the competitive

level that we're gonna need to be at

it's very very important that you make

every practice you're eating right

you're getting good sleep at night

starting things off we're gonna run slow

and easy so we prevent any injuries any

questions where do you want us to run

today

I marked up of course like you ran last

year just follow my flags you're gonna

start here run down the road do the big

loop in the back you'll see my one-mile

mark keep coming around 2 mile marks

just up here just after the 2 mile mark

I've got you set to run up this big hill

all the way to the top come back down

beat the whole thing again coach I hate

Hills do you really have to do it do

fence yes and just think in the near

future you're beating this whole thing

three times State meets at equestrian

park this year any of your girls have

her on that course before No

no make sure you do that he'll two times

remember we're running slow and easy not

hard

oh wait wait there's one more thing and

this is really important I'm only gonna

say this once you've got one goal this

year that's when the state meet remember

the goal

[Music]

good afternoon Neil Sims Courtney Smith

Donnelly my daughter's Kristen mm-hm so

uh you're the new coach yes sir yeah I

heard that you've never coached cross

country before you must feel like a kid

with a new toy then huh you know we've

got a great program here it has been for

years now we don't have a lot of girls

on the team but this group they won the

regional meet last year and I think they

could be top five in the state this year

if they get some good training well I

plan to do the best I can yeah speaking

of plan do you have one do you know what

needs to be done I have an idea well

Kristen could be a big help she's got a

shot at the state individual title this

year and she'll have to train real hard

now I work with her in the offseason and

well of course Holloway he was a great

coach he worked him real hard yeah III

don't believe running girls from the

ground is proper training gonna take

care of these girls and we'll still be

competitive nice to meet you the policy

of the school is to first offer all

coaching jobs to teachers on staff but

she doesn't know what she's doing well

her background looked pretty impressive

to me her background looked good

what did she run a year in middle school

oh come on Dale you know what the

problem is with this athletic department

you just don't care about the girls

enough my daughter could get a

scholarship but you treat cross-country

like some second-rate sport I'm just

following the policy of the school can

it is still summer you can find another

coach one who knows how to train and do

it right

coach Donnelly just started why don't

you give her a chance just from what

they've done so far that is enough for

me to see my daughter has to do her own

workouts on the side we need to get

Holloway back here or somebody like him

no look or school we are not a

cross-country institution we hired this

woman to fill a position in science that

we knew was coming open in a fall when I

sent out a letter seeking a new

cross-country coach she responded her

credentials look good so we hired her

she is the coach now you have a problem

with that take it up with the principal

Rebecca didn't I ask you to do the

dishes after dinner oh yeah sorry I

forgot you forgot yes I'm sorry how did

you forget you have nothing to do all

day except to run I'm sorry I really

forgot well what if I forgot to make

meals at night what about that huh I

mean I asked you to do one thing and you

can't even do it now get out there and

do it

yeah Oh perfect you're both here what's

up I'm a bus Kirk out you guys should

come with now but we have practice later

today yeah but it won't be hard we need

to get a good workout in I don't want to

do too or gods today Heidi we could do

really well at state this year like top

five maybe higher but we have to train

not jog she said she wanted to make sure

we didn't get injured early okay but did

you get injured doing any of hallways

workouts last year no but I had sore

muscles a lot yeah some of his workouts

were really hard yeah but the hard

workouts are the only way that we're

gonna get any better

now come on let's go I think we should

just do what the coach wants us to do

okay look we're not giving to state meet

with her it's the first time she's ever

coached and she doesn't know anything

so let's go

all right good job good job good job

everybody same time tomorrow

how do you okay I'm fine

look little stiff to me I'm okay I may

be a little tight I just need to stretch

more you're going easy out there right

this is the exact thing I'm trying to

avoid

yeah cut I'm going easy okay well keep

me posted let me know if it bothers you

tomorrow I will

you shouldn't have run with Kristen it's

now look I said tonight it should be

okay

what we did with you today was too hard

no it wasn't you just right in shape yet

[Music]

Shelby what's up nothing much where you

going

my house don't you have running practice

yeah but that's later today okay then um

lunch come on up and hang with us no I

can't

what do you mean you get I can't you

can't what hang with us you know what I

mean

no I don't know what you mean what she

means is that she can't and she has a

very good reason why she can't and you

should know what she means by saying she

can't understand no too bad

see ya hey Shelby I can't

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[Music]

after like today it's okay it feels

better still sore a little but it does

feel better

we've got another long run today so just

take it easy out there oh well how about

you Yuna you know I just thought of

something

whenever I was in high school I played

basketball and I get sore muscles a lot

and then I figured it out it was always

on days after I'd done a double workout

so I know just how you feel

[Music]

okay girls for more than a month we've

been building a foundation today we

start a key workout we're gonna be doing

a lot this year called cruising our

bollocks each interval is one mile and

you run it at tempo pace tempo pace it

is approximately 30 seconds slower per

mile than your current 5k race pace

you're gonna run one mile rest one

minute run your second mile rest one

minute gonna run your third and final

mile you're gonna start right here at

this flag run the mile course that we've

got marked off finished right there at

that flag first flag out there it's 100

meters it's me this is the most

important part of the race I want you to

hit it in the time I tell you maintain

that pace for the rest of the way we use

our watches make sure we're on pace

there's no sprinting in at the end of

this this is a tempo run even pasting

all the way hey coach what do you mean

by even pacing do you know what pace

you're in your mouth listen last year no

ma'am I do

I second my I was usually 25 to 30

seconds older than my first which tells

me you an out too fast

I finished sixth and state but if you

would have run even pacing you probably

could have finished even higher do you

know when a car gets its best gas

mileage when it's on the interstate

cruising at 65 miles per hour not when

it's speeding up and slowing down and

the same thing is true with running

cross country a lot of these kids go out

very fast they settle into a pace and

they all slow down so how we want to run

we're going to go out at the correct

pace maintain that pace for the entire

way even pacing okay check my chart for

your hundred meters split your mile

split 24 seconds on a 624 mile that's

right I can walk faster than that yeah

you see your splits yes ma'am 25 in 640

once you've got your pacing let's get on

the line this will be easy

tempo runs build endurance they're very

important probably the most important

workout that we'll do but for them to be

effective you have got to do them right

do not I repeat do not run faster than

the pace thing I've given you that

defeats the purpose of a tempo run

during the test 200 meters to check our

pacing mark set go

stop stop all of your too fast

Anna too fast Heidi too fast

Rebecca Kristin way too fast right all

of you back on the line okay I'm gonna

let you go the full hundred meters this

time when you get there you're two

seconds too fast stop come back start

again in a second on either side it just

slightly keep going art set go

[Music]

6:11 that 13 seconds faster than I want

you to run this is too easy this is a

tempo run not a mile race you've gotta

get the pacing right I literally cannot

run that slow rest one minute and go

again this time hit 624

6:42 way to go in a restaurant minute

than going in come on Heidi

[Music]

651 good job Heidi I'm three seconds

slow no come on this is your first try

your cloves

[Music]

good job Rebecca good job Kaelin 6:58

way to go Shelby 704 right on pace

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

615 still fast too fast no it's not it's

too slow I'm not even tired you're

supposed to be running a 624 you've got

one more do it right this time

[Music]

you can't kick Kristin Sims off the team

she is the best runner in the history of

this school and it's her senior year

she's defiant

let's make arrangements for her to do

our own workouts then and we'll keep

everybody happy no I'm sorry mr. pooter

it does not work that way

this has got not a hint agreed it should

have been taken care of a long time ago

but I'm not her parent I'm just her

former coach I want you to put her back

on the team

sorry I can't do it she's off Kristin

can run track and get her scholarship

there and it's not gonna be a problem

because I'm not coaching track it

probably won't be coaching cross-country

here next year either

mr. Prater you cannot let parents

dictate how you do your job or how I do

mine

Kristin doesn't want to do the workout

so she's off the team look if you're

gonna fire me do it after this season

but not now I've already invested five

weeks of my time this summer and so have

these girls if you think that Neil Sims

is gonna let this go you're in for a big

surprise and if Neil Sims where the

coach of this team in Anna glass we're

talking back not dating workouts what do

you think you'd do about that make sure

you ask him next time

Christon sentences off the team

[Music]

where are the other girls they quit what

they quit all of them yeah why Kristen

got him on to quit she tried to get

asked to quit too

yeah but we don't want to we want to run

so it's just the five of you yeah and

everybody else quit yes ma'am

[Music]

we only need five girls to score enemy

let's make two new rules right now make

a fist like this good

all your fists together side by side

we're a team

okay nobody on this team quits rule

number one agreed

[Music]

second rule nobody I mean nobody ever

gets sick alright let's make one other

rule why was Kristin dismissed from this

team and why did all those other girls

quit

maybe because for them it was all about

self it's changed out right now first

Corinthians chapter 10 verse 31 but you

eat or drink whatever you do do all to

the glory of God

10:31 what first Corinthians chapter 10

verse 31 whether you eat or drink or run

whatever you do you do all to the glory

of God okay that's gonna take the focus

off self it's gonna put on the one it's

supposed to be on and that's the Lord oh

you guys say 10:31

[Music]

guys still running

yeah how's practice it's okay sorry

you're not there mm-hmm

we have our first meet tomorrow you

coming you ever hey I'll see you guys on

track

Shelby

[Music]

go out with me this weekend what go home

with me this weekend

I can't cancer alone can't why I have a

meet those are in the morning talking

about it at night I can't oh you don't

get it do you

it was my dad it won't let me date yet

he doesn't have to know just walk down

to my house tomorrow night around 6

o'clock I'll be waiting for you

I don't know 6 o'clock

I can't don't be late

hey did you hear about Serena what about

her

Jessie told me she started smoking wheat

this summer what

that's what Jessie said is she sure well

her in Savannah we're hanging out over

the summer and they met a couple of guys

Savannah started dating one of them and

he got her into it she's still dating

him no but she's still smoking and Jesse

sure yeah he used to be so close to

Savannah

yeah but she's changed somebody just

needs to talk to her

she sits behind me in history

hey coach what are we doing today we're

going easy right

I'm nervous what about coach how's

everybody doing good what are we doing

today about five miles on the day before

the meet we're going for a ride for

about five miles so everybody hop Ben

[Music]

what this this is today's practice we're

gonna play golf is that what you know

really are we gonna play really what

you're gonna play golf

[Music]

hey coach I've meaning to ask you did

you ever run cross-country in high

school uh yeah I did

were you any good that's okay so not

that good huh

not that good is not that good but okay

is okay right right I think the more

appropriate question at the moment is

how good am I at mini golf

[Music]

you might as well give up and the words

you've heard so often try to define you

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

to set you free

[Music]

[Music]

you should have seen the girls golfing

today they had the best time I'm glad

for me me too

it was good team bonding plus I think

it'll help alleviate some nerves there's

noise okay

these are marked 100 meters let's check

our watches just to make sure we're on

pace we're gonna round a couple practice

starts before the race just to make sure

we've got our pacing down all right

pacing for today Anna 25 seconds in a

640 mile heidi 25 and a half seconds

into 648 wait coach you want me to run a

640 first mile on the race today

yes that's too slow I need to run faster

I want to turn to 640 all three miles

today remember even pacing coach that's

my temple pace and I'll get killed

no you won't you'll finish fine I could

be in the top ten today I want you to

run the pacing I'm telling you to why

remember the goal coach

many times in God's Word he asked us to

trust him even though we don't

understand or we don't know what's going

on and just like that I'm asking you to

trust me and remember the goal okay okay

Rebecca Caitlin 26 and a 656 she'll be

26 and a half and 704

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

Rebecca you have got to get out of there

a lot faster than what you did I kept

telling you to pick it up what was wrong

with you today

nothing well you know you can't get

caught back in the pack like that I mean

look where you came in come on

I just ran how the coach wanted me to

run well if you're gonna run like that

there is no point even being on this

team I just did what she said give me a

break you were awful

Rebecca you ran a nice race today I ran

horrible no you're in just like I wanted

you to and you're right on pace good job

hey good job

the coach may have a word with you why

did you have an a run so slow today

she finished 37th she could have been

time for me she ran a very smart race

she did a great job she was right on

pace and I'm proud of her 37 never coach

this isn't that what we signed up for

what did you sign up for mr. Goss well

not coming in 37 when she can be top

five winning state it takes training and

patience today wasn't about winning what

was it about why are we running if we're

not running to win we're running to do

our best and if that means winning great

but if that means coming in 37 that's

fine to you and I did a great job based

on the training that she's been doing

and on the pace that have given her

looked like she was having an affair

cross country is is a lot like a puzzle

mr. glass you've got to put it together

one piece at a time

yeah well 37th is not the desired result

no it's not those 640 mile pace was and

your daughter did that beautifully

you should tell her that sometime before

the stand

[Music]

I don't know about this woman Neil Sims

has already talked to the principal and

the board

Hey

[Music]

I heard from every parent this morning

before I finished my first cup of coffee

they say you deliberately had the girls

run really slow in the race no why would

you do that because that's the only way

they'll get faster what because that's

the only way that they're gonna get

faster that doesn't make sense

cross-country is a lot like Christianity

mr. grader it doesn't make a lot of

sense for example the way up is down

what's that supposed to mean well do you

remember in the Bible when it says

humble yourself in the side of the Lord

that he may exalt you in due time humble

yourself that he may exalt you the way

up is down it's the same thing with

cross-country in order to get faster you

have to Train slower coach I need an

explanation these parents they deserve

one no disrespect sir but these parents

have no idea what it takes to when they

think the only way you get faster is to

run yourself in the ground kill yourself

no I just told you to get faster you

have to train slower this may not make

sense to you may not make sense these

parents may not even make sense to these

runners but by the time state new girls

around it will know if you'll excuse me

I have a class to teach

hey Savannah you'd only have five girls

on our cross-country team

she cannot for it the coach should

totally let you join what come on for

cross-country you'd like it you're

joking no it's great sport and a lot of

positives what's positive about running

all the time and getting tired and

sweaty harine it's healthy for once good

exercise keep you out of trouble get to

be part of a team Thanks

[Music]

where are the other girls are they're

coming coach can I talk this in a minute

yeah of course um actually I got

something for you and the girl oh cool

thank you you're welcome

what's up I have a friend I'm gonna try

and help I used to be the best of

friends and she started hanging out with

a different crowd and she's into things

she shouldn't be I feel if I say

something she's just gonna push me

further away if it's on your heart to

talk to her then I would well I actually

did ask her in class today if she wanted

to join our team yeah what'd she say no

she's not interested I mean that's not

really what I wanted to talk to her

about I just I feel like she's gonna

reject her I say well if you're worried

about it setting your friend just

remember Jesus was perfect people hated

him so you'll be in good company think

about that for a second you know Jesus

Christ came to her God in human flesh

perfect sinless always said the right

thing did the right thing died on the

cross for our sins miss Barry goes again

and what was the result

most people hated him and when I was a

junior in high school one of my friends

shared the gospel with me and God let me

see that I was the center and I needed a

savior so don't be afraid of rejection

just talk to your friend the Lord sees

your heart

and Ana if talking to her doesn't work

there is one more thing you can do

what are we doing today coach Cruz enter

once again I know how much you love them

there okay we just do them a lot

yeah today we do some of the twists

today we're gonna do them five times

what the girls can do this I faith in

you same pace as the others

yeah same pace I'm not gonna be able to

do this one

me neither I won't be able to do it

coach it'll be too hard but you will try

right right it's not

maybe a time to just give up Bend turn

and walk away every choice will change

your few

every day is

to get you to the best in you

so you

you can't

[Music]

[Music]

just

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good job saying good job everybody that

was awesome

coach that was hard but you did it yeah

but it was really hard well winning

state meat seem to be really hard but

it's gonna be such a great feeling

you're never gonna forget it coach I was

dying on that last one but you did it

yeah but I was about five seconds slower

than I was supposed to be but you're

gonna get better we're gonna keep

working and you're doing great

all of you're doing great hey coach are

you sure you know what you're doing

because my mom should have something so

um I'm sorry I didn't mean for it to

come out like that

alright gather around here for a minute

there is a story in the Bible where a

twelve-year-old girl had died they nest

was custom for that day people gathered

outside the house and we're crying when

Jesus approached she said why are you

weeping she's not dead but asleep the

people laughed at him then Jesus went

inside and raised the girl from the dead

any of you girls familiar with that

story yeah me too when Jesus said the

girl was sleeping the Bible says they

laughed him to scorn they laughed at him

mocked him ridiculed him or probably

hateful towards him said he didn't know

what he was talking about didn't know

what he was doing

do any of you girls know why they did

this to him no ma'am because Jesus

Christ did things the exact opposite in

the world world was going in this

direction he was going in that one you

see when you follow Christ in this life

you are either going against the world

or in the opposite direction of it but

you're never going with it

as a result people will mock you make

fun of you ridicule you hate you without

cause you won't understand they don't

think you know what you're doing so just

because we may be training differently

than you did last year or running our

races and what seems to be a strange way

different from every other team doesn't

mean it isn't going to be effective

remember the goal

one of the thing about that story after

Jesus went and raised that girl from the

dead what did you do afterwards did he

go out front like a big-shot saying what

was that you're laughing at what were

you saying about me no

now if I know Jesus he's looked out the

back door

quietly saying nothing even though we

could have said something and that shows

a great character and humility of Christ

that's the kind of person we want to be

like

great job today

vanna vanna can I talk to you for a sec

uh I guess I heard I heard that you

started smoking no I did it come on look

a lot of girls smoke the Bible doesn't

say you can't it's a man that you don't

understand

you've probably never tried it I have to

try something to know if it's right or

wrong I told you a lot of girls smoke a

lot of girls in this Christian school I

think about a ton more do in public

school that doesn't make it right like I

said the Bible doesn't say anything

about it

it's FINA an alcoholic starts with one

drink a drug addict starts with one

joint it's pretty easy to tell if it's

right or wrong you know that's exactly

why I don't hang around you anymore

you're just so perfect yet judgmental

[Music]

hey coach Kaitlyn's not doing very well

what's wrong with her she's sick no it's

not that

her father supposed to come watch her

run this weekend but now he's not yeah

she hasn't seen him in about five months

and it's been really hard on her she's

really hurting we thought maybe you

could talk to her yeah yeah of course

where is she you over here praying or

something

ring no it's more like or something I

heard about your dad not being able to

make it all the other girls have family

is and I don't my parents divorced and I

don't get to see my dad that's not fair

I'll believe it or not I know exactly

how you feel

do you really mm-hmm yeah my parents got

divorced I was 11 and moved to cities

over four hours apart

minor four states partner

and so anybody can say

well maybe your dad can come to another

me so he said last year

and never made it

what's your dad do for work it's a heart

surgeon so it's pretty tough for him to

get away he always says you know Caitlin

I never picked up on the fact that they

spotted you you're kind of that comedian

of our team yeah well I have to do

something to keep my mind off it gotta

get ready

okay starting at this flag running

around the road up to my flag at the top

of that hill that's 300 meters no one

tell me we're gonna do 300 meter repeats

up that hill because your best friend

and when you've got a best friend you

spend time with them right okay we're

doing 16 of these today 16 coach that's

three miles you got this run up at tempo

pace you walk back down to start you go

again sounds like a good time to me

[Music]

[Music]

good job girls

[Music]

I hate Hills me too

good job today girls thanks coach hey

Shelby

you were a little off on your pacing

today seem kind of distracted to me yeah

maybe a little I'll do better tomorrow

oh and a sophomore in high school is

distracted it usually means one thing

there is this one boy mm-hmm do your

parents know bye well hey girls stop

right there

don't do anything behind their parents

back keep everything upright and honest

or time why do you say that let me give

you an example what did we do today hill

repeats how many did we do 16 and how

many would you have done if I wasn't

watching I would have done 16 would you

really I guess I bet you could have been

tempted to stop after the 12th they did

get pretty hard but because I was here

watching you kept going right so it's

the same thing with boys you feel like

your parents aren't watching you might

be tempted to do the wrong thing you

don't want to do that you're gonna keep

everything upright and honest

it's the difference between doing 1200

repeats in doing 16

[Music]

dr. van please

this is Courtney Smith darling I'm his

daughter Kaitlyn's cross-country coach

thank you hi dr. Viet this is Caitlyn's

cross-country coach how are you fine

thank you I know you're busy so I'll

just get right to the point

um Kaitlyn's not doing well yeah no

she's not sick she just she really

misses you and I think it would mean a

lot to her if you could make it out to

meet to see a run this year well we've

got one meet left and then state meet if

we qualify regional meet is a week from

Saturday

well like I said I just I think it would

mean a lot to her if you could make it

out once to see her run this year

who do I think I am and I'm a nobody sir

I'm sorry I bothered you

thank you for your time

[Music]

you wanted to see me coach

yeah can you sit down for just a minute

did I do something wrong no no it's

nothing like that I uh I just noticed

you've been really hard on yourself in

practice lately you're running your

splits faster than you're supposed to

just kind of seems like something's

wrong nothing's wrong you see these eyes

they're 20/20 I don't want to feel this

way but Anna is better than me at

everything she's more popular than I am

she makes better grades in school than I

do she's better at running than I am

we've been best friends our whole life

and she's always been better than me and

everything it's just getting hard to be

happy when something good happens for

her I just I want to be the best at

something and I guess I'm trying too

hard you know it's funny you're in here

saying all this because Shelby was just

in here the other day saying the same

thing about you she's never beat you at

running you're more popular in school

than she is you make better grades than

her Shelby yeah Shelby how would she

feel like that

I don't know well that's so weird never

knew she felt that way

[Music]

shall we didn't say any of that did she

coach it's stupid to be jealous isn't

I should just be happy for in a success

shouldn't I

[Music]

I'll see you in practice I'll be right

there thanks coach you're welcome

[Music]

hey Heidi

can I give you just one other reason why

you shouldn't be jealous sure because

there's one thing that Ana or anybody

else in the whole world is not better at

than you

what's that being you there's only one

Heidi Olson and she has created by God

and she is very special she's so special

if somebody came in here and said I'll

give you five hundred dollars for

Heidi's uniform would we sell it - oh

yeah yeah we could buy a bunch more with

that money if he said I'll give you

$5,000 for Heidi's autograph what we do

it absolutely are you kidding me

say the same person came in and said

I'll give you five million for your

number two winner that's a No Deal

they need to say 50 million I'd say no

the Knicks a 500 million it still say no

to you he'd say how much would it take

for me to buy Heidi Olson and I'd say

there isn't an amount high enough so do

you see how special you are now I'm so

easy Anna

you and Rebecca and Kaitlin she'll be

all you girls are equally priceless so

don't ever feel like a secondhand

anything you may be the number two

runner on this team that you're not the

number two person on it

thanks coach

[Music]

I get your text what's up Hey look um I

can't see you anymore

what I can't see you anymore why not I

just can't

my dad doesn't want me to date anyone

your dad doesn't even know me it's not

you it doesn't matter who it is he

doesn't want me to date and I don't want

to do anything behind his back maybe

it's time for your dad to let you grow

up a little I am going to grow up

I'm going to do what he says what's that

supposed to mean

never mind I can't so I hope you

understand and if you don't then 1031

what it's only 3:30

[Music]

hey she's almost done her dad usually

picks her up does everything okay fine

he can't make it today and she has a

dentist appointment oh yeah she told me

well I'll have her out on time

well hurry she can't be late you know I

played basketball in high school for

four years and my JV coach was a Yeller

and he was always honest he's very hard

to please but my varsity coach was the

exact opposite he was encouraged sure

and a teacher and always cheering me on

I really liked my varsity coach she'll

be done in a few minutes

[Music]

Rebecca did I ask you to do something

for me what you didn't hear what I asked

you to do after dinner yeah I was gonna

do that after I did my homework I wanted

you to do it then but I have this really

important report that's due tomorrow you

get out there and do what I asked you to

do right now young lady

and my JV coach was a Yeller

there's always honest if you're please

no wait I'm mistaken finish your

homework but I can do it that's okay

you have enough to do with running and

schoolwork do you report

[Music]

Rebecca you've been doing really well in

school keep it up

I'm really proud of you

[Music]

I quit what I quit smoking but I stopped

no more weed really yeah really

yes on its what made you quit all of a

sudden it I just hit me that that's

wrong so I stopped it's not what God

wants me to do well I saved this did you

really do this thanks

[Music]

hey my lovely wife so I was online

checking our statement and we got an

airline bill are you going somewhere I

don't know about that yes I was going to

tell you about that and I will explain

later I just I have to finish this first

what you doing

comparing times to see I will finish in

the regional meat so for state meat it's

divided into four regions and they take

the top four teams from each region plus

the top five individuals not on one of

those teams

well didn't know girls when I region

last year yeah fortunately there's not

many good teams in the region

what are those times well I'm scoring

the meat based on times of teams and

other races to see where we'll finish I

mean if our girls when I read in last

year don't they stand a good chance to

win it again this year yeah but I don't

want them to win I just want them to

qualify huh look at that

what is it I want you to run the exact

pacing that you have practice the last

two weeks everybody understand what you

heard me you want me to run a 632 mile

pace today yes and just maintain it

coach will lose no you're on your pace

thing like you haven't practiced and

we'll get in coach we're not gonna make

it to state if we run that slow you just

leave the results up to me and run the

race exactly like I've asked you to hey

remember the goal 10:31

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Anna I kept telling you to pick it up

what were you doing out there what place

do we come in I don't know but you girls

didn't make the state are you sure yes

now why weren't you running hard out

there the coach told me to run her pace

I mean what did you want me to do I want

you to do what I say dad she's the coach

I have to do what she says or else I'm

off the team

just quit just quit the team that's what

I want you to do dad I can't quit we

still have a state meet you didn't make

the state me that's what I'm trying to

tell you you coach lost this for it's

all her fault this could have been a

really good team this year

Kaitlin dad hey just got here I'm sorry

I missed your race I'm really sorry it's

good to see you I didn't know you were

coming

well it was the last-minute decision and

I just wanted to see you Ron well you're

out of luck pal try again next year

that's two years in a row now I've

missed your running right great good

this is my dad

Courtney Smith Donnelly Jeremy man nice

to meet you

nice to meet you too I'm glad you could

come he just got here any mr. race you

won't be able to see me run Cherie will

you girls take tomorrow off I'll see you

Monday

what do you mean we lost oh no we got

forced to a qualified first date

[Music]

I'm sorry but after the season you won't

be coaching her anymore

now this does not affect you teaching at

her school I hear you're doing a fine

job in the classroom you certainly are

not being fired from your teaching

position but I heard from every parent

this year and I mean every single one

complaining to me that you wouldn't let

the girls compete and that you made him

run really slow now I know we qualified

for state but just barely one father

tells me that if it wasn't for such a

weak field we never would have made it

and we ranked last out of the 16 teams

of qualified last year we finished 10th

we had six of her top seven girls

returning and tell you that the Simms

girl go now I really am sorry but the

decision has been made it is final the

parents have all been notified and so

have the girls

[Music]

thank you for the opportunity to work

with these girls I've um I've really

enjoyed it

if you ever change our mind I'd love to

coach again next year

[Music]

what happened to you guys on Saturday

how did you finish fourth in the region

you should have won that so easily and

qualified for state that's all we were

trying to do just admit that that coach

does not know what she's doing

you guys are lucky to even be going to

state meet with her well at least we're

going yeah and look what your ranked

last you guys are gonna get killed next

week

but if Holloway was still here we would

have been top five oh but I do have some

good news our track team is gonna be in

good hands and our relay team might have

a legitimate shot at winning the state

title you know why because we'll have a

real coach coaching us he's coaching the

distance runners on track so this spring

y'all some real workouts to do uh he's

even contacted Holloway and he's gonna

sum the workouts to him well good luck

at state meet what time you leave

tomorrow we get out of school at 11:00

what's your itinerary look like supposed

to get there by 3:00 coach said we

walked the course over the race I want

you head straight for the lead at a race

on Saturday understand you can still

probably get top 15 if you run your best

whatever the coach tells you to do don't

listen to her you're a good runner she

did a terrible job training you dad no

dad we just do what I say at least we

finally got rid of her I can't believe

we let her stay around this long we did

make it to the state meet your team won

the regional last year and you should

have won it again this year

look I don't want to get into this again

okay now you have a good trip tomorrow

mom and I'll see on Saturday

[Music]

it's kinda hoping you wouldn't show up

you might have a shot

okay this is the starting line we're

starting on a box too let's walk of

course get to know it then we'll go over

what we're doing tomorrow here's the

mile mark there's the clock make sure

you're on pace you're a little slow pick

it up this step if you're fast adjust

accordingly

[Music]

let's go Milo mark check your splits

again your two thirds of the way home

the race will be won or lost this last

mile

I'll show you why in a minute

[Music]

look at that do we have to run up that

hill this hill comes just after the 2

mile mark in the race which is why in

practice with your long runs I had the

hill come just after the C mile mark the

hill in practice is slightly longer than

this one girls listen up at this point

in the race but he really sets in for a

lot of runners and the reason why is

that they went out too fast so this hill

becomes an absolute killer but for you

it won't be now when you get to the top

you'll start working your way downhill

towards the finish line you have to stay

focused you have to stay on pace you're

still gonna have runners to pass in a

soft smile

[Music]

you get to dis final stretch you got to

give it all you've got the downhill

finish will help so you better run hard

all the way through the finish line

there's the board right there when you

cross the finish line your individual

name will be on the left team scores

will be on the right it's gonna

constantly be updating as people come

across the finish line and our hope is

that eventually our team names up at the

top of the board remember girls cross

country low score wins all right I got

to get my wheel back at the starting

line her coach you lost your job you'd

never know anything yeah I know I mean

did you hear what she just said about

our team yeah hopefully at the top of

the board I know our characters a

Christian but she must be on some

heavenly drug or something today yeah

I've got a good pack this year but I

don't have a runner that can crack the

top ten so it's hurting me

now you you've got those two front

runners that's the difference anything

can happen we still have to run a good

race

besides my three four and five are quite

a ways behind they're not that far back

they'll be in the top 25 nobody can beat

you Orange Hills is ranked last this

year is that right they were top ten

last year and I thought everybody was

coming back what happened yeah heard

they got a new coach doesn't know what

they're doing now how do you know that

we ran over at Jackson Park for a first

meet this year and just got to talking

to one of the fathers no he said that

simms girl she's not running either that

girl's good why not I don't know

they're top runner is ranked 42nd in the

meet 42nd least be ranked better than

that if they're all returning got to be

that coach who's the coach I couldn't

tell you check the roster who's coaching

Hey

Courtney Smith Donnelly Courtney Smith

are you sure says Smith Donnelly do you

know her

yeah I know if it's who I think it is

seven years ago whenever one runner

Shannon Wilson was ranked first in the

state she finished second at the state

made on this very course

you know you've been her Courtney Smith

same girl she ran for Blair Academy on

that side of the state probably is she

was ranked way back like in the high 30s

coming into the meet she weren't even

splits came out of nowhere and ended up

winning by four seconds

I never expected that's the team you

need to be worried about why because if

that girl's her coach and they really

like she did they only have five runners

listed coming in 42nd through 69 it's a

pretty close pack yeah but their way

back my team will be Tammy's all seven

of my girls are ranked ahead of the

number one they're not a factor

I gotta go guys but gentlemen good luck

tomorrow

take care you two sure about that

what do you mean look how low they're

ranked after our statement

I remember we checked 40 times in the

previous races that fall and in every

race she was about a minute half slower

than Shannon was until the state meet

well what'd she do we run tempo facing

the whole time sure seem that way

wait a minute wait a minute you're

telling me that girl ran Tim fo face in

every race until the state made I don't

know what it sure seemed like when you

checked her Tom's well she qualified for

the regional meet if she only ran tempo

face cuz that region has always been

really slow you know that now where was

she qualified is the fifth individual

you are kidding she really did her

homework he was the number one runner

and a glass what was her time at the

regional meet 2024 it's about

a 630 mile pace what was her time in the

state meet last year and a glass 2008 so

she's worse this year or she's a lot

better than that 2024 sir tempo pace

which means tomorrow that girl's gonna

break 19 minutes easy she did that she'd

make top five as she did that with a

pretty tight pack right behind her

no coach in their right mind would ever

make their girls run tempo faced every

race that that is absolutely crazy

is it I mean what's the main goal here

to win a meet last month or when the

state meet tomorrow think about it well

I'll do one tempo workout a week if

Courtney Smith had her girls were in

typical pace and all their races they

did least to some weeks that's building

great endurance must've learned even

pacing and race conditions she trained

her team to run like she did a gap for

the girls in Orange here's 100 meters

it's already marked with that white flag

right there no we're starting on a box

too so it's gonna be easy to see

let's do some practice starts it's good

our pacing down girls

it is absolutely essential that you hit

your hundred meter pacing tomorrow does

everybody understand yes ma'am

what pace coach twenty four and a half

seconds again not this time Yuna this

time you go out at twenty two and a half

that's that's a six-minute mile pace and

in 1845 5k if you maintain it you do

that and you finish in the top five

coach I haven't run under 20 minutes yet

this year yes you have no I haven't sure

you have when in practice when the crews

intervals we've been doing all season

remember we started with three we worked

our way up to five tomorrow the first

six-minute mile you run is going to feel

like the third crews in her home a

second was going to feel like before the

last is going to feel like the fifth no

don't worry if there's a lot of girls

out ahead of you at this start it's a

state meet they're gonna go up very fast

but they won't be there for long

the field will come back to you just

stay on pace and you'll keep passing

runners same goes for all of you but I

just explained to Anna that's how it's

gonna feel for you tomorrow

Heidi twenty three seconds for your

hundred meters 608 mile

Rebecca Katelyn twenty three and a half

seconds that puts you have a six 16 mile

she'll be 24 seconds and a six 24 mile

every training session I've done with

you all this year has been to build your

endurance and your strength to prepare

you to run these times tomorrow coach

why didn't you let us run this hard and

any of the other meets okay I'll tell

you first a lot of these girls are gonna

be worn out from running so hard in

previous races but you girls you'll be

fresh second I had your own tempo pace

and meets to build endurance and that

takes time third I wanted you to learn

even pacing in a race setting and that's

gonna prove to be very important

tomorrow Anna at the end of the race

there should be an Eastern Valley girl

just ahead of you and you've got to beat

her okay okay remember you'll be coming

from behind she'll just be hanging on I

would rather be in your shoes but still

we've got to get

same goes for you Shelby at the end of

the race there should be an Eastern

Valley group just ahead and you've got

to beat her understand yes ma'am

I've gotta beat her this is gonna be a

very very close race it could go either

way

okay let's go to our hundreds coach why

didn't you tell us any of this before

yeah into our parents when I tell people

the way to get faster story and slower

hardly anybody believes me

why because that doesn't make sense most

people believe the way to get faster and

harder and that's what makes sense but

slower training builds endurance add in

some hills you gain strength put the two

together you get faster overtime and

that's what we needed more than anything

was time I needed every single training

session I could get with you all and

that included meets so if you go stay on

pace tomorrow you can win the state meet

that was the goal right

remember the goal I want to thank each

of you for the opportunity to be your

coach this year it's been it's been one

of the highlights of my life

I want to thank you for your commitment

to train every day for your hard work

for your sacrifice for not quitting even

when you didn't understand and each one

of you is so special to me my prayer for

you is that God blesses here in this

life

[Music]

dear coach enclosed please find a

reimbursement for the plane ticket you

sent me it should be more than enough to

cover your payment I didn't appreciate

your phone call at the time but now I

realize it's probably the most important

one I've received in the last three

years my daughter asked me what made me

come to the meet last week but I didn't

tell her about your call and she was

none the wiser so that tells me you

didn't say anything to her either

that was very honourable if you not to

embarrass me like you could have for

that they say thank you

I'll be at the race tomorrow and more

importantly I'm going to block off more

time to visit Caitlyn in the future and

make her a priority in my life thanks

for all you've done for my daughter and

good luck in the state meet Jeremy van

[Music]

yeah you still awake yeah can't read I

don't think about the race yeah me too

you nervous mm-hmm me too

you think we can win I don't see how we

can the coach does did you really

believe we can win I'm gonna miss her

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[Applause]

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where is she where'd she go I don't see

what you do disappear wait wait I think

I know where she is

where remember a story she told us she

slipped out the back door

[Music]

crosscountry is a lot like life get your

runner race with patience with knowledge

and with understanding and you have to

remember the goal always remember the

goal same is true in life you have to

learn patience gain wisdom and get

understanding plus you have to remember

that goal whether you eat or drink or

whatever you do do all to the glory of

God

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you