Gratitude

As a part of WSU T&F / XC, you have something powerful for which to be thankful : your team family.

Track and field is unique. You compete in different events. You train in different ways.  You push your body toward goals that may look nothing like the athlete next to you.  And yet—You are one team.

That’s the beauty of track and field. No one else quite understands the strain of the workouts, the long meets, the pressure of waiting for your event, or the comeback after an injury.  While the world sees individuals competing, you see the relay exchanges, the warmup groups, the shared bus rides, the encouragement across the track.

A championship team—whether in cross country season or on the oval—wins together. That is family.

And, Family Is…

• The teammate who always says, “You’ve got this,” right before your jump or race.
• The athlete who stays after practice to help a freshman learn blocks.
• The ones who push you through the last rep when your legs say you’re done.
• The coaches who believe in you even when you don’t feel like believing in yourself.

Gratitude opens our eyes. It helps us see the people who make us better—on and off the track. Your PRs matter. But the people who helped you earn them?  They matter even more.  

Thanksgiving reminds us that gratitude is not just a feeling—it’s a commitment.

We don’t just say we’re thankful for our team family.  We live it.  We support. We encourage. We work. We sacrifice.  We give our best—not just for ourselves but for the people wearing the same uniform.

Every season comes with ups and downs.  Some of you are heading into indoor season fired up and ready to crush it.  Some of you are dealing with injury or discouragement.  Some of you are unsure of your place right now.  But no matter where you stand, you are part of something bigger.  Your team is more than meets and practices.  It’s a circle of people committed to becoming the best version of themselves—and helping you do the same.

That is rare.  That is worth celebrating.  That is worth thanking God for.

This Thanksgiving, take a moment and reach out to one teammate for whom you’re grateful.  Not a post. Not a vague group text.  A real message.  A real word.  A real moment of thanks.  You never know how deeply one sentence of encouragement can impact someone’s season—or their life.

Track & Field teaches you to “run your race”.  But Thanksgiving teaches you to look around and notice who’s running beside you.  This year, be grateful for your team family.  Because in the end, medals fade, times get replaced, records are broken…but teammates who become family last a lifetime.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Run with gratitude.  Compete with heart.  And never forget the gift of the team around you.