The man who first fueled my passion for running. My first mentor, and best friend. Thank you Coach. I can hardly begin to explain the impact which you have had upon my life. Coming into sophomore year, I had been rejected countless times in the other sports I had played. Soccer- a bench warmer. Volleyball- too small. Baseball-not strong enough. However, you saw something in me. Something that all the other coaches had overlooked-fight. I may not have been the fastest, strongest, or most talented, but you never gave up on me. You saw my desire and my motivation, and you took every painful step down the path of success with me. You never let me go, and I can never even begin to tell you what that that meant to me. Six State Championship meets later, I hope I have made you proud. That's all I've ever wanted. You never gave up on me, and I never gave up on you. Its hard to look past physical features and instead look at intangibles, but that is what you did. They say a champion is made when no one is looking, and too me, you are the ultimate champion. You don't receive the recognition I believe you deserve. For you, its not about talent, its about what's inside. I believe everyone has something to learn from that.