ST Awards
Cross Country '06
I've been thinking about a new career. Not that I don't like what I'm doing, but when coaches and athletes start calling you names like “track master” and “the Estinator” control is slipping away. I felt much more comfortable in my starting official days when I was known simply as “the man with the gun.”
Anyway, I'm thinking about writing and directing movies. The creative juices are flowing. I've got a few contacts. I intend to pitch some ideas. So, I'm writing some screenplays as we speak (actually we aren't speaking-you're staring at a computer monitor and I'm opening some of Wellfleet's finest oysters).
They say you should write what you know and what I know is running. “Pre” has already been overplayed so I'm thinking about something a little closer to home – say something about high school cross-country. I've got my titles and outlines, but am having problems with casting. Within the Hockomock League there are a lot of good choices to play the leading roles. I want this project to get off the ground. I can't just have a good actor/actress – I need the best.
How about a little help?
Contact me through northrunning@yahoo.com . Tell me who should star and why. If you can help me find the just the right characters I can sell some of these projects. Have your people call my people. I won't forget you baby.
Genre : Feel Good Movie
Plot Outline : Watch our endearing character spread her own brand of cheer. Whenever you're down she's there to pick you up. Always on top of the world and brings you there too. Are your best running shoes wet? Did you forget your Power Bar? Was your coach a jerk today? It doesn't matter because Little Miss Sunbeam will lift your spirits. You'll be dancing through a 5K after watching this feel good flick of the year.
P.S. She may be a little weird but its a good weird!
This was a tough screen test. When the camera is on, you can't have a bad day. Sean got his nomination but he also needs a press agent. Dan got his interview after the state class meet. He happened to be sitting there while we were waiting for the bus. I hadn't seen the race so I was unaware that he'd been disappointed. I was impressed with how he handled himself, first dissecting his own race for me then asking about my own runners. What a class act! Perky he wasn't, but I don't blame him. I hope to catch him on a good day indoors. Kathleen and Djerica would have been tough to pick between. Obviously, my heart is with DJ. She's brightened me up many a time. But, Kathleen does too. She's got to be an awesome teammate. I had this dilemma until Coach Jen Teahan was mentioned. Talk about a “little Miss Sunbeam”. I can picture talking to her now. “Hi Jen, How are you?” Jen responds, “Hi Coach, My dog died and my car won't start so I got fired, so I can't pay my rent so I'm living in a shoe box. Just great! And how's you're family?” She would say it with this big smile and that zany voice. I've known her since she was a freshman in high school and I have never seen her have a bad day, or attitude. Whatever she's got, it comes out on the big screen.
Nominations
Derek Ricci (Fox)--perky and then some
Djerica Lamousnery - How could you not run fast with Djerica cheering for you?
Djerica Lamousnery - she is definately "Little Miss Sunbeam." She never stops smiling. Her smile can often times be contagious too. She is pretty much the only person who can make me smile before the race, which is usually a hard thing to do. And by the end of the race or the end of a hard workout she's always there to celebrate with her team or to help make things better through words of encouragement and by spreading her signature smile.
Kathleen Ryan. The last line of the description for this category, "She may be a little weird but its a good weird!" fits her perfectly! She is always smiling, even during her races at times, (which is slightly scary!) but she can cheer our team up just by her comments and laughter!
MY nomination goes to Coach Teehan from Canton. Everywhere she goes she has a smile on her face whether the results are good or bad. I would like to think that is a real boost to her girls team.
sean geary... I go nuts at the end of my races and he brightens up my day and other teamates days when people have bad races so hes a feel good kid
Genre : Swashbuckling Adventure
Plot Outline : Follow the story of a common runner who had a “break out” season . In the early going you wouldn't even have known this was a main character. This runner just seemed to blend into the background. Now there's a flash of brilliance you hadn't seen before. A certain panache if you will. This is no fool's gold – this is the real deal.
Nominations
Frank May (or is it Frank October/November)
Frank May -Franklin.....Frank was decent last year but not well known. Once he put the skis away and applied himself, he set franklin school records at New York, the home course, Wrentham,Borderland as well as a mile best of 4.46 during the season in a workout. He will be tough to beat next year!
Umm absolutly Casey Howards of Sharon XC...I didnt notice him at all much during the season niether did anybody else but when he got 9th at the hockomock league XC championships that stunned me he finished rite behind teamate Ben Mattocks!!!! He was always like 5th or 6th in tri meets then all of a sudden a ninth at hocks!!!
Kelly Sheehan - King Philip - I'm sure that a year ago most people wouldn't even know who you were talking about. But this year her hard work paid off with a great season.
Steph McNamara. She has improved so much! Last year was only her first season of XC and she was even good then, but now she is outstanding. It is very noticeable that she worked very hard to get where she is.
Steph Mac has improved sooooo much this year. this award was meant for her!! this is her break out year and only good things are still to come.
Steph
Mac-
Steph has certainly come a long way. Ever since her break out performance
at hocks last year in the spring, she has been getting better and better.
She is definitely one of the hardest and most determined student/athletes
I know.
“Goodfellas” or “Good Gals”
Genre : Chick Flick
Plot Outline : reminiscent of the old Bing Crosby and Bob Hope travel films. A story of how two best friends share the world of distance running. Throughout thick and thin they are inseparable. Watch them pair up for distance runs. Whether sharing ice baths, Gatorade bottles (warning: Don't try this at home. Sharing Gatorade bottles is a health risk) or double dating, they are doubly good. They are inseparable – and sometimes a little intolerable – but that's what makes them so much fun.
I'll cut right to the chase. It is Marrah Fry and Djerica Lamousnery. Or is it Djerica Lamousnery and Marrah Fry. There are some other great combinations. Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Baseball and hot dogs. Corned beef and cabbage. Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Petit foie gras and Italian fig syrup. Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Oops – forget that last one. When its good you know it and this duo are like two peas in a pod. Being a farmer I know that most pods have more than two peas. So what happened to the rest? But, you get the idea. They're great friends and inseperable. Like lucky socks or a favorite number, when I look behind me on the bus and see those two, I know everything is alright.
Nominations
Marrah Fry and Djerica Lamousnery are inseperable. Workouts, studying, riding the bus. Siamese twins aren't closer.
Djerica Lamousnery and Marrah Fry - Just watch these two during school, out of school, and at practice and you'll be amazed at just how much time they spend together. In less than a year Marrah and DJ have become so close. It's incredible.
Stephanie Moses and Ashley Plante - There couldn't be two closer friends.
Lianne Swanson and Siobhan Duffy for "Goodfellas"- They basically do everything together. Double dates (Sam Davin and non-runner Paul)... sleepovers. They have more inside jokes than you can count. They basically do everything together, even trick or treating!
Genre : Documentary
Plot Outline : Follow our star through four years of legendary running. With a resume the length of the Dead Sea Scrolls and a box of medals a shot putter couldn't lift, our hero had a career that didn't sink. 100 years from today people will still be talking about “the gem of the league”. And you thought they didn't make them like that anymore. Full speed ahead!
I opened up the screen test to anyone, but everyone knew who it would be. The role was made for Ryan Collins. He burst on the scene young. You might say his maiden voyage freshman year was spectacular. Sometimes that's dangerous. Early success can spoil a star. But Ryan stayed that quiet unassuming guy he always was. Success didn't go to his head. He kept working harder. Eventually you have to face the roughest seas and say “Full speed ahead.” He won the state meet in a course record time. He placed 10 th at the Footlocker Eastern Championship. He has definitely become the pride of the fleet. If he's looking for a leading lady I know one in North Attleboro that's ready to volunteer.
Nominations
Ryan Collins for the "Titanic" award (without the negative connotation, of course). This kid is a cross country powerhouse, which he has displayed since his freshman year. From what I hear he even broke Andy Powell's course record at Hocks. Talk about a gargantuan. Mark Amirault and Kevin Gill had better watch their backs at states this year, or else they'll be watching his back.
Ryan Collins--possesses a titanic heart for XC
Ryan Collins is the Gem of the league
Ryan Collins, he's pretty much amazing.
Ryan Collins-Mansfield...Pretty big stuff from such a small frame. Amazing consistency over the four years not when and when not to push. Do me a favor and win the All States for the Hock!
Lindsey Booth must be 30 years old. It seems like she's been representing Franklin forever. Maybe she'll win this award, retire, then go beat up on some college runners instead.
Lindsay Booth for "titanic" I've had always had the pleasure of talking to her after meets and i know that she is never one to give up. She has resilience and can always come back and scare the heck out of you. I'm sure franklin will always remember Booth.
Jenna Davidner - Is it too early to nominate her? She's already done more this year than most runners do in four!
Genre : Sci-Fi
Plot Outline : With the repetitiveness of “Groundhog Day” and the endurance of “The Longest Mile”, follow our star as he puts in road mileage day after day – after day – after day – after day – after day – after day - after day – after day – after day – after day – after day – after day - after day – after day – after day – after day – after day – after day.
Most people couldn't last the initial screen test. Our star asked for another and another and another . . .
I really thought there would be more candidates for this role. Stephanie McNamara and Ryan Collins are already working on other projects, so that left the door open for Greg Payne. Not that he couldn't have won the role on his own. When he finally decided to become a serious runner, he knew the only way to get there was to wear out a couple of pairs of shoes over the summer. He practiced his lines over and over again. He's now an off Broadway star. Next year he intends to follow the long road to the top.
Nominations
Greg
"Pain"--selected
him because he has the best screen name for a
cross country runner
Ryan Collins must buy a new pair of running shoes every week. When isn't he running?
Stephanie McNamara - increased milage = great improvement. She covered a lot of pavement last summer and that made all the difference.
Greg Payne- Greg has become a fierce competitor. To think that he was going to practice for basketball off-season and actually had to be forced to run XC is unimaginable. He now loves XC and is dedicated to becoming a better runner. He never complains about a workout and is always working hard. This kid does not now how to give up he is a runner.
The Devil Wears Track Shoes II
Genre : Situational Comedy
Plot Outline : This is a remake of the classic “The Samantha Robbins Story”. You'll leave the movie theatre with your head spinning, asking “Why is this room so hot.” You've just been on a journey through the life of the league's greatest imp. Whether you're the victim of her/his practical jokes or an innocent bystander caught up in the moment, you'd give up your soul to have this team mate. Purgatory was never this much fun.
Nominations
Brendan Barca--the king of one liners at Mansfield; always gets the last laugh
Sara Krasney is wild.
Sara Krasney for the devil wears track shoes.If she can't describe comedy i don't know what can. She's crazy and out of this world, but we all love her anyways. I sure miss having her on my team, with her jokes and remarks that always make coach estey shake his head and walk the other direction.
Sara Krasney - She is definately the life of the time. Whenever she's not at practice the girls notice that a.) its a lot quieter and b.) that there arent as many laughs that day. Some of the things she says makes the team go crazy laughing and sends Mr. Estey away just shakin his head. But besides being the comedian of our team Sara is the only person that can pump up the team before a big race. She always knows just what to say to put in you in the right mindset to run hard and fast. She's definately one-of-a-kind.
Sara Krasney: she's CRAZY!! shes one of a kind. the only person i know that can say the most random things and get away with it. shes the life of our team!! its never quiet when shes around. :)
Lea Godfrey She always manages to make the team laugh even during the worst workouts. She will say some things that even make Coach Sweeny speechless... and that's saying something!
Lea
Godfrey!
Franklin! Devil Wears Track Shoes II.
Lea is nutssss. End of story !
Lea Godfrey. She makes the whole team burst into hysterics multiple times each day. When it comes down to it, though, she will get serious and pull out an awesome race.
Lea Godfrey...Theres just too many stories attached to her. She's hilarious, talented and a little nuts. She is best known for showing up at the starting line at the All States with the wrong uniform, she shows up to practices with uniforms she should not have, she needed to be called on the PA system at F.Park becausae nobody could find her. Sam Robbins "adopted" her as a freshamn so that might explain everything!! However, she is a gutty runner who has been a blessing to our program.
Forest Romp
Genre : Biography
Plot Outline : “Romp Forrest Romp!” – thru the forest that is. Who spends more time under the trees than Robin Hood? Who prefers rocky paths to pavement or mown grass? Our star deftly picks his way over rocks, stumps and puddles. Picture running together with your teammate. You look down to keep from tripping on a root. You look back up and you're alone. He didn't disappear. He's romping while you're stomping.
Here's a category I thought was a natural. What a bomb! OA was the only nominee. I can't have a whole team - production costs would kill me. I'm thinking of starring in my own film. I'm pretty nimble on uneven terrain and I know my way around in the woods. Just this morning my captain thought I was an ash.
Nominations
The OA teams--have the best forest in the Hock to romp on
Genre : Suspense/Adventure
Plot Outline : There's someone out there – and you fear him badly. You can't get away. He's on your trail. Worse, you sense he's there. You can hear his breathing. You hear the footsteps. Then – IT'S THE LAST MILE! It's like getting hit by a runaway train. There's no stopping the inevitable. You've just been eliminated by “Terminator – The Last Mile!”
Nominations
John Lutkevich--John could also fit into the Horror movie genre (loves to sit and unleash that devasting kick at the right moment, like a scary pop-out scene). Even pre-school moms are afraid of John, although I'm not sure why since he has the "best eyes"
Frank May Great last mile if he paces himself rite speeds up
Alyse Rocco - You don't want to get in a last mile duel with this girl. She's got too much speed!
Steph Mac for the terminator. She has come such a long way. Only her second season of xc and she is dominating and make others run for their money. They better watch out for her on the last mile, becuase she can kick.
Kathleen Ryan - Maybe its because she still hasn't pulled out her best wire-to-wire effort, or the fact that when she's passing people in the last 400M (her true race) she's still relaxed enough to smile. But I wouldn't want her sub-60 400M to be on my heels entering the last mile.
Kathleen Ryan.- Forget it, shes a sophomore who has already run 58 inthe 400. 1.37 in the 600 and now 19.51 on a long course this week. Just give up if shes behind you in the last 400 of a race because there is really nothing you can do about it except wish her well as she goes by you.
Greg Payne, NA: get him mad before a race he'll pr. a true competitor and to quote derek ricci, "if hes near you your getting outkicked wether you like it or not"..
Do you have anyone who you think deserves a screen test. Contact Coach Estey at northrunning@yahoo.com You may just jumpstart someone's film career.
For budding writers - if you come up with a creative movie project send it to me with a recommendation for leading man/lady. If its good I'll find a spot for it in my portfolio. I'm not above stealing someone else's idea to make a buck. If I strike it rich you can always try to sue me for a percentage of the royalties.