Ralph's Musings: Volusia-Flagler Freshman/Sophomore Meet Ralph Epifanio Mar 24, 2011

Unintentional though it is, high school track is often a race within a race. The obvious, of course, is the event, be it the 200 or the 3200; the first won by superior strength and coordination between opposing muscle groups, the second by cardiovascular development. Underlying each is a race toward physical maturity, and while it might be genetically determined, in many places—Florida among them—it is a result of demographics. At what age did the athlete begin school; four, five, or six? And, after he did, was he ever advanced, or retained, a grade(s)?

Ralph's Musings: Spikes Classic Ralph Epifanio Mar 21, 2011

It is the irony of a track meet that its teams (and in this case, unattached participants) travel great distances to gather in one location, only to spend their entire time together running, hurdling, jumping, and throwing things to distance themselves from each other. In this meet, for example, the most accomplished included, among others, a sprinter from Ocala, Florida;  a running machine from Eldoret, Kenya—and his female counterpart from across the ocean; a coach (Gothenberg) and an athlete (Karlshamn) from Sweden; a baseball player from Matanzas; a wake boarder from Bolivar, Ohio; a hurdler from Cranfills Gap, Texas, and a now homeless toad. The list could go on, but it has been suggested that my read sometimes exceeds my audience’s grasp.

Ralph's Musings: Spruce Creek Invitational Ralph Epifanio Mar 16, 2011

Sometimes—just sometimes—track meets remind me of cafeteria duty. This was one of them. There was just too much running (“Wait for the gun, ladies!”), cutting in (“Nicky elbowed me, so I went around him!”), tripping (“Ooooh! Did you see that one in the 100 hurdles?”), misuse of athletic equipment (“Gentlemen, please take the balls out of the infield!”), dishes flying everywhere (Was that another UFO?), and noise so deafening that I couldn’t hear the person next to me (“No, K, K! Kody with a K!)  This meet even had food.  (“We’ll be taking a 45 minute lunch break now.”) By the time the sun set, my ears were ringing so loud that I was beginning to “hunch”. (Or was that just another bell lap?) At any rate, the last thing I remember was thinking that I had Excedrin headache #4 (by four).

Embry-Riddle Caps Indoor Season at NAIA Indoor Nationals Ralph Epifanio Mar 07, 2011

Capping their banner 2010-2011 Indoor Track Season with identical scores at the NAIA Championships (March 3-5 in Geneva, Ohio), the Men’s and Women’s team each drew upon the strong support of upper classmen Sam Vazquez (senior, Flagler-Palm Coast) and Crystal Bardge (junior, Jacksonville).  With 20 points each, the men finished 12th and the women 11th among the field of more than 200 member schools.

Ralph's Musings: The East Coast Classic Ralph Epifanio Feb 28, 2011

A century ago, there was another sort of track running through Bunnell, Florida--that of Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railroad, known as the FEC. Was it fate, or irony, that Flagler-Palm Coast HS (FPC) chose Flagler East Coast Classic (FEC) for the name of their meet? In choosing a derailed, but still famous, transportation line as its namesake, they certainly invited comparisons between the two tracks. And with the bright orange glow of dusk that immediately preceded the finals, Henry’s haunting became all the more evident. The finals schedule, once begun, gained momentum faster than a runaway train (both on and off the track, so to speak), and all you could do was leap aboard when it was your turn to run (jump, throw, or hurdle).

The ERAU Inside-Out Track Meet Ralph Epifanio Jan 24, 2011

In different parts of the country, at this time of year the sport of track and field, by necessity, goes by several different names. Depending upon where you reside, and perhaps also depending upon the severity of the weather, it may be described as “indoor track,” “winter track,” or “conditioning.” (In Canada it is called skating, skiing, and ice hockey.) Winter, in Florida, as we all know, is absolutely perfect for track and field; subsequently we have an identification problem. In or out? The Embry Riddle people—who no doubt could have gotten the use of a nice cozy airplane hangar if they had so chosen—decided to turn meets inside, out.

Peter Hopfe Story, Part 2: Soaring With the Eagles Ralph Epifanio Dec 20, 2010

Peter HopfePeter Hopfe began coaching high school cross country in 1995, and by the autumn of 2004, he was considered one of the most successful and respected high school coaches in the state of Florida. In the space of ten years, he had gone from a full-time restaurateur, to a part-time coach, to the recognized founder of a distance dynasty at Flagler-Palm Coast High School, and a two-time Florida State Coach of the Year. Who would have even considered gambling that kind of success on a fledgling college program? Knowing Hopfe, however, it was far from a gamble.

4A Region 1: Garcia, Valentine Win Ralph Epifanio Nov 15, 2010

We reached the business end of the season; it was the time for restructuring. When the races ended, only six teams were left. Or, if you were lucky enough to survive regional downsizing as an independent contractor—and were among the top fifteen runners overall--you got one more week on the job (the “one that got away,” so to speak). Everyone else could go on home; see you in the spring. 

2A District 6 - Smith Sets CR, Craig defeats Rojas Ralph Epifanio Nov 07, 2010

Kacy Smith of Estero won the girls race and set a course record of 18:48 in the process.  She lead Estero to a perfect 15 point victory.  Cypress Lake's Trent Craig edged out Estero's Aaron Rojas by .27 (16:25. 20 to 16:25. 47).  But the Rojas led Estero boys won easily with 36 points: 2-7-8-9-10-(12)-(16).  Inside this article Kacy Smith reveals her secret diet for success.

Five Star Conference Championships Summary Ralph Epifanio Oct 30, 2010

How does a cross country team define perfection?  Is it found in a place, as in “first”? Can it be reflected by a score, such as 15? Could it be claimed in a word, such a “sweep,” or satisfied with repetition, leaving little doubt that it was, and is real? Would long lines of runners, living proof that your success reaches from the present, and into the future, be a metaphor for self-satisfaction? In any of these cases, and along with the support of so many parents, coaches, and (past and present) athletes, Spruce Creek may have arrived at that place where there is little room for doubt that this is about as good as it gets.

Hagerty Invitational Meet Summary Ralph Epifanio Oct 24, 2010

Like a blind man attempting to envision the whole elephant by touch, mid-season cross country invitationals give us a “peek” at what might be at season’s end, but not entirely so. Thus, while the results of the Boys’ Elite Race may have felt like a trunk, it must be remembered that it is the same basic shape of that pachyderm’s tail. In this race, the two front runners, Eduardo Garcia and Phil Duncan, met for the last time before the State Meet, each trying to ride the elephant, rather than be trampled by it.

Stetson Hatter – Sodexo Invitational Ralph Epifanio Oct 18, 2010

Inspiration can come in many forms, but without it, we rarely achieve our goals, and may eventually find ourselves caught in that spiraling descent into discouragement.  Juxtapose the many middle-of-the-pack, middle-of-the-road-runners (who figuratively “cross continents” in accumulated mileage, still searching for that elusive “outstanding accomplishment”) with the rare runner who seems to grasp success, again and again, and you will see inspiration in the flesh.

Keeping up with Coach Peter Hopfe Ralph Epifanio Oct 14, 2010

Anyway you look at it, Peter Hopfe was destined to be a successful running coach.  A by-product of his abundance of energy, his competitive nature has always sought an outlet, first in his drive to compete on a personal level, then to lead others to unimaginable successes

Planes, Trains and Cross Country; 5-Star Conference Fresh/Soph Meet Ralph Epifanio Oct 14, 2010

Speaking of stars, how many of you have seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles, starring Steve Martin and John Candy?  Of course, you may not have heard about its sequel, Planes, Trains and Cross Country—it premiered this weekend--starring various members of the Flagler-Palm Coast Cross Country team. After hearing its story line, I’m sure you’ll agree that it is equally entertaining.

Deland Invitational Meet Summary Ralph Epifanio Sep 25, 2010

A good cross country meet is a lot like chemist Alfred Nobel’s most significant discovery: if handled properly, it will produce fast, predictable, and dramatic results. Take this meet, for example. It has probably been around almost as long as Mr. Nobel’s second most significant contribution to mankind, but, under the more recent management of Deland coaches Jim Lowenstein and Dale Papineau, it has, well, exploded. This year’s event attracted a combined 58 teams and 563 athletes.  Kaboom!

JU Short Course Duals: XC \"World Records\" Set Ralph Epifanio Sep 04, 2010

Being the dedicated coach that he is, he—and no doubt everyone he could find to help--spent most of that Friday preparing what was left of his course for the 6:00 meet. As testimony to his persistence, two world records and 77 personal (every registered runner) records were set at the September 3rd Jacksonville Duals.

Deland Turkey Trot Meet Summary Ralph Epifanio Nov 26, 2009

On most days, Sperling Sports Complex is a scene of peace and tranquility. If you sit still long enough, you can almost imagine hearing the grass grow.  It is big enough, and the facilities varied enough, that you rarely see more than one or two of the fields occupied at the same time.  The usual number of spectators is small, too, and so spread out that an attempt to perform the wave would hardly produce a ripple.