These will be presented in a better form on Tuesday along with a more user friendly balloting option. But right now I've got to hit the treadmill before the meet.
It has always been a goal of the ST Awards to recognize more than just the stars. I've always attempted to credit all and anything within the track and field universe that one would find notable.
When I look at the sky, I don't focus just on the North Star. Why would it be any different when I look at the track.
It's been posited by experts that the universe is between 13.5 and 14 billion years old (hand-timed). FAT is a recent phenomena. I think the conversion is to add 2.4 milion years to get a more accurate time. I've only been following track and field for about half that time, but I'm pretty sure that I've seen awe inspiring things that even the Hubble Telescope has missed.
So the category for indoor track '10 is “Celestial Discovery”. There are roughly 300 new stars recently developed within the Milky Way. The Hockomock must have at least that many.
I know you've been out there with your newest technology (Iphones – and Vados) documenting changes in the Hockomock stratosphere. I need your help. Here is your chance to collaborate on your sightings and document the vast changes within the Hockomock universe.
You don't have to be great astronomers like Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) or Charles Messier (1730-1817) to recognize important bodies circling the track. I'm relying on you to identify the Hockomock shining lights. I'll pass them on.
Without further ado here are all 18 of – THE CATEGORIES!
THE
BIG BANG AWARD |
| Awarded to the person who has made the most dramatic impact on the Hockomock this year. |
| I guess it all starts here. The Big Bang isn't just a funny TV show on Monday nights at 9:30 – it is also a theory of how we all got here. But let's not start that debate. Instead, let's just have fun picking the person who has made the most dramatic impact on the Hockomock League universe this year. Or, just the person who makes the most noise – literally. You chose. |
THE
LUNAR AWARD |
| Awarded to the person in your school or town who has the most effect on you or your program. |
| I didn't want to call this the moon award. Stick closer to home for a minute. Because of its proximity to earth the moon exerts a dramatic pull on the oceans, giving us our tidal flux. There are people (not just athletes but maybe) on your team that exert a tremendous influence on you. So, think about whom has been a tremendous impact on you and your team. Let me know who and why. There will be major ST Award kudos heading their way. |
THE SUN AWARD |
| Awarded to the person who is the most recognized face of your team. |
| Still sticking close to home, relative to the infinity of the universe anyway. The sun might not be the brightest or biggest star in the universe, but to us it is. It's our star and we love it. Global warming and UV rays be damned. It's a heck of a lot better than shivering in a damp cave. But, back to the issue at hand! Who stands out the most on your team? |
POLARIS
(The North Star) AWARD |
| Awarded to the person in North Attleboro who shines the brightest. |
| This is my only award open just to North Attleboro. It's just too cool to have a star named after your school's brightest light. If some of you non- northattleboroeans want to nominate someone from our team that's fine. |
LEO - THE LION AWARD |
| Awarded to the most effective leader of your team. |
| Leo (The lion) is a highly visible constellation of the zodiac. Lions are also known as “King of the Beast” and as such can be considered the leaders of the jungle. The Hockomock is definitely a jungle. Be careful out there. Who do you look at to carefully help you avoid the pitfalls? |
LEO
MINOR – THE LION CUB AWARD |
| Awarded to the emerging athlete on your team who you feel is destined to become a future leader. |
The Lion King won't always be there. It's the rule of the jungle. When King Mufasa leaves it is up to Simba to take over. Who will you anoint as the next Simba? Hakuna matata! |
DRACO
– THE DRAGON AWARD |
| Awarded to the person who breathes fire on the track. |
| Draco is a circumpolar constellation seen from northern latitudes. It's stars wind around the little dipper. For this award I'm not thinking about Puff the Madic Dragon, Elliot or Fin Fang Foom. I'm looking for the mythical cave protecting and fire breathing demons that make a child have nightmares. Who brings that kind of white-fire intensity to the track? |
CAELUM
– THE SCULTOR'S CHISEL AWARD |
| Awarded to the coach who best creates masterpieces from raw talent. |
| Caelum is a constellation of mostly dim stars (I think there's a joke in there somewhere). Most great coaches don't care to be in the spotlight. It's the results of their handicraft that shines the brightest. Let's just aim a telescope in their direction and see who's worthy of having their skills illuminated. |
AQUILA
– THE EAGLE AWARD |
Awarded to the athlete who soars highest, furthest or proudest. |
Aquila is a constellation that is part of the summer triangle best known in mythology as a bird belonging to Zeus. Aquila carried mortal Ganymede to the heavens. You have to really fly to do that! Who in the Hockomock can soar to the heavens? |
SCORPIUS – THE SCORPIAN AWARD |
Awarded to the athlete who strikes the biggest fear in competitors. |
| Scorpius is near the center of the Milky Way. No, it's not nougat or caramel. Wrong milky way! The one in the sky looks like a scorpion. You don't need to be an arachnophobic to hate scorpions. Nobody wants to get stung by one. Who do you most fear getting stung by? |
ORION – THE HUNTER AWARD |
Awarded to the athlete who knows what he/she wants and goes after it. |
| Even I can find Orion's belt. This constellation represents the hunter. A hunter heads out with a specific goal. And if they are any good at what they do – well – they come back with the prize. Who do you know that set out to get something done and didn't give up until it was accomplished. |
PERSEUS – THE HERO AWARD |
| Awarded to the athlete who saved a team through an outstanding effort/performance. |
| Another constellation. This one represents the hero. A hero fights for a cause and overcomes great odds with a life-defining moment. Who do you know that came up with a heroic moment this year – and what was the moment. |
PHEONIX – THE REBIRTH AWARD |
| Awarded to the athlete who appeared down and out but rallied to succeed. |
| The Pheonix is not only a constellation. It is also a mythical bird that never dies – one that can be reborn from its ashes. Sometimes athletes crash and burn. The most memorable are those that rise from the injuries, defeats or disappointments to fly again. Know any? |
TAURUS – THE BULL AWARD |
| Awarded to the most powerful athlete in the league. |
| Another constellation. Let's keep this simple. Who is the most powerful/strongest athlete in the league. It can either be sheer ability to create force or pound-for-pound strength. Give it to me straight. No bull! |
VULPECULAE – THE FOX AWARD |
| Awarded to the athlete with the best running tactics. |
Vulpeculae is the brightest star in the constellation Vulpecula (the fox).
Foxes are known as sly and some runners are known as sly, or at least for having cunning tactics. Who is the most tactical runner you know? |
MARS – THE WARRIOR AWARD |
| Awarded to the athlete who loves to do battle. |
| Mars is more than a planetary neighbor. Mars was the second most important God in Roman mythology. As a warrior, Mars relished battle. Some athletes fear battle and others accept it as a necessary part of competition. There is a rare brand that loves battle just for what it is. Win or lose they can't wait for the next opportunity to put on their battle armor (singlets) and pick up their weapon (spikes or shot put). Who can't wait to hit the track no matter whom they are facing? |
VENUS – THE LOVE OF TRACK AWARD |
| Awarded to the person who is in love with the sport of track and field. |
If you love to gaze at planets then you know Venus. In mythology Venus is known as the goddess of love (we can substitute god here as well). Some people love the sport. One of my favorite sayings is “To love the sport beyond the prize”. It is credited to Sir Henry Newbolt who was an English poet around the turn of the century (not this one). His most famous work was Vitai Lampada.
Without going further afield – who loves the sport more than the prize? |
MERCURY – THE SPEED AWARD |
| Awarded to the fastest person in the league. |
Mercury is a visible planet and a messenger with winged feet. Now you know where the symbol of track and field athletes originated. Mercury represents speed in its purest form. Who explodes like a Mercury Rocket and propels across the track at breathtaking speed? |