Park Vista Coach Jen White remembers sitting in the hospital waiting room waiting for doctors to administer the drug that would either kill her son or save his life. The day before, she was experiencing the high of Ryan winning the Palm Beach Marathon 5K. It was an emotional roller coaster all in the span of 24 hours.
"As a mom, Ryan's stroke was one of the scariest times in my life. The first 24 hours were the hardest because we didn't know if things were going to get better or worse. He was completely blind. I sent a message on Facebook to everyone saying 'Calling All Prayers' and then I looked up seeing eye dogs on Google."
Ryan's mom figured the new racing bike she just bought him would be exchanged for a new pet. She stared looking up athletic events for the blind. No matter the outcome she knew if he survived he wouldn't stop competing.
"He loves the thrill too much. We were just going to have to find him something else he could do. As his coach it was just as scary. Developing his running plan was tough. The doubt and concern was all consuming. The reality was Ryan was going to run no matter what. He was going to train hard regardless of what I said. It's one of those down falls of coaching your son. I just prayed about it and left it up to God."
Her prayers were answered and Ryan survived, but the recovery process wasn't easy. He couldn't concentrate and his academics took a hit. It was at an inopportune time too, during his junior year when colleges were looking at test scores and performance.
"When you break your leg everybody can see the cast and understand the limp and they don't expect it to go away so fast. When you sustain a brain injury you don't see it. He looked perfect and sounded perfect, but there was a period of time where we had short term memory issues and he wasn't able to process information as quickly. It was a six month struggle trying to get him back on track academically."
Athletically Ryan didn't skip a beat. He competed in track as well as volleyball and has been a standout on the cross country course this fall. Though that was good news for his mother and the rest of the Cobras, they would receive some bad news during the summer. The teams' number one runner Edens Thermadore was struck by a truck while crossing the street. Thermadore injured his left calf, right leg, and suffered lacerations to his face.
"He was our number one runner and ran 16:28 at states his junior year. We were hoping he would be able to return to run by states, but he didn't get clearance in time. Losing Edens was an unfortunate hit to the team. It didn't affect us too much because we planned on him returning at some point and the boys were just holding down the fort so to speak. We were sad but the team was prepared to step up and fill in."
Her son Ryan quickly became the teams number one. Five of Coach White's returning runners came back with issues. The junior varsity squad had to step in three times during the course of the season. They earned their wings fast stepping up in a hurry with Jon Kigel, Kyle Blackman, and Neil Upadhyay going down over the course of the season.
"JV fully understood their role. They know they needed to be ready because at any time they may be called up to varsity. With Jon it has been tough. His issues started over the summer. He would be three miles into an easy run and then see spots, get light headed, muscles would freeze up, and he would grow weak."
The issue for Kigel got so bad at one point he had to wander onto a golf course and ask to use someone's phone because he was seeing spots again. Doctors thought they had solved the problem only to have to it start up again. White altered his training regiment in hopes he would overcome it.
"We backed off his miles, changed his diet to more protein, and we added a lot of electrolytes. That worked for a short time, but eventually the symptoms returned. After the county race his muscles froze up again. He went to the emergency room where they ran some more tests, and told him he was done for the season. He seems to have developed hypoglycemia and is currently undergoing tests to rule out a muscle breakdown disorder."
Another one of White's wounded warriors was junior Kyle Backman. He ended 2010 with a time of 17:21 and entered this year as the team's runner, only to develop induced asthma throughout the season. It took several weeks during the season for doctors to come up with effective treatments and medications for Backman.
"We can't yet figure out what triggers Kyle's asthma. One day he is running fine and the next his chest is all tight and he can't breathe. It has been very emotional for him. He ran a 17:14 at the flrunners.com Invitational. He knows what he can do, but the weather just hasn't allowed him to get it done. Kyle knows states will be his best race yet."
Most recently, Neil Upadhyay came down with a nasty cold that was settling his lungs until after districts, but the team continues to fight and refuses to let their coach and their fellow teammates down. She says they don't quit whether it be training in pouring, freezing rain or on some of the toughest courses, her squad is a tough gritty group. To her one runner doesn't make a team.
"We have several young inexperienced runners who stepped it up. Mike Sondregger is a hockey player who thought this might be fun. He is now our number three runner. I don't even know where he came from, but he has certainly made a tremendous difference. Kevin Gelatt started off the season hurt. I didn't expect so much from him early, but he went from running in the 20's, skipping right over the 19's and has landed with a 17:29. Alex Haramount is a young sophomore who fought his way to varsity. At practice he is tucked right up under Ryan's arms and Ryan is 6'3 and he is 5'3. It's a funny thing to see. Lastly, there is Chris Ginley one of our juniors who started with us last year but didn't run past flrunners. He has helped fill the loss of Edens and each race he gets faster and faster. Without the tenacity and determination of these four boys Vista's season would have been over two weeks ago."
Then there is her son Ryan, who finished as district and regional runner-up while the Cougars finished second and third in those respective meets. At regionals all five runners were in the top twenty-five. Who would have thought over the course of the year that this team would be poised to not only overcome obstacles, but make it to state?
"I am just so proud of how long and how hard they have worked. I am pretty hard on them and expect a lot from my runners. I don't accept excuses and I don't want to hear complaints. It's amazing what they have been through and the journey they have been on. They have all stepped up to help keep Park Vista a dominant force in our county. They understand the meaning of the word team and the reputation Vista has. It will not fall on their watch. Never ever doubt the heart of a Cobra."
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