Page 530 - chs-2002

Columbia Cross Country 2001 - 2002

This group of boys have worked harder than any other team I have been associated with as an athlete or a coach. They have believed in
themselves and their teammmates and have formed a special bond that will be impenetrable. They have been together through the good
times and the bad, the near misses and now the unbelievable heights. They have walked through the fire as brothers.
This team started out weeks ago knowing that they had a chance to do something very special. Goals were set, achieved, and surpassed.
A persona was created. A theme was bom that will continue on in Columbia Cross Country history. They created the "Purple Haze". The
"Purple Haze" is the ultimate team concept of unity. It simply means that as a team they will work together and finish as a group at the front
of every race. A blanket of purple jerseys that creates a haze of purple that overcomes its competitors. This team concept has fostered an
attitude that nothing but your best effort, always, will be acceptable to the team.
These boys have left an indelible impact on this program, this high school, and this community that will not be soon forgotten. They have
made me proud to watch them grow from boys to men. They show a maturity and spirit that I will never forget. These men have made my
coaching career in Lake City a memorable one. Robert, Dusty, Jesse, Phillip, Marcus, Cody, and Matt will remain my friends and hold my
admiration long after they graduate and move away. They will always share one common thread and one special moment in time together ...
they are Columbia Ttgers and they are the Purple Haze, 2001!
I love you guys,
Coach
''Victory can come from the power of many, but only when the many
come together to form that which is invincible the ... the power of ONE."
·Unknown

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